IN North Allegheny Winter 2016 | Page 26

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

CHIROPRACTIC

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Common Shoulder Injuries
T

he shoulder is an inherently unstable joint. While other
ball-and-socket joints, such as the hip, have deep sockets that
provide stability, the shoulder has a shallow socket. This affords
the shoulder an increased range of motion, but also predisposes it to
injury. These injuries can be acute (dislocations, separations, muscle
tears) or degenerative (frozen shoulder, arthritis, impingement
syndromes). Degenerative conditions typically arise from chronic
overuse and dysfunctional mechanics, both of which can cause the
joint to break down over time.
The shoulder complex is comprised of three bones (humerus,
shoulder blade, and collar bone) which form two articulations. The
primary joint of the shoulder is the gleno-humoral joint. This is where
the head of the humerus fits into a socket formed by the shoulder
blade. Just above this is the acromio-clavicular (AC) joint, which is
where the collar bone articulates with a bony knob projecting out
from the shoulder blade. The primary stabilizers of the shoulder are
four relatively small muscles collectively known as the rotator cuff.

Acute Shoulder Injuries
Many acute shoulder injuries occur during contact sports or falls.
One common injury is a shoulder dislocation. This occurs when the
head of the humerus pops out of its socket. This can result in fractures
of the humeral head or even nerve damage. A shoulder separation

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is different from a dislocation and occurs when the collar bone
separates from its articulation with the shoulder blade. This injury
can have a lengthy r