Shoulder trauma is mostly caused by injuries and damages resulting in fractures in the shoulder blade or the clavicle. Injury to the shoulders could be of many types. They are breaking of bones that are otherwise called as fractures. This could happen in shoulder blade (Scapula), upper arm (humerus) or in the collar bone (Clavicle).
Dislocation of the bones happens when the proper alignment of these three bones is disturbed. This could happen in the collar bone which is termed as separated shoulder or acromioclavicular dislocation. Sternoclavicular dislocation happens when the clavicle gets misaligned with the breast bone. The ball and socket joint is the third kind of dislocation.
Injury to the soft tissues, ligaments, muscles and tendons and also rotator cuff tears cause shoulder trauma.
Causes:
Fractures are caused by direct blow to the joints that could happen during falling, colliding forcefully with other objects or during accidents.
Anterior dislocations could be caused the arm is bent or rotated by force or it could happen during falls or collisions. Posterior dislocations can occur during seizures or during electric shocks.
Shoulder separations might happen during falls or while lifting heavy objects.
Symptoms:
- Excess pain
- Swelling
- Problem to move shoulder
- Irregular shape formation
Treatment:
1. Clavicle Fracture: It normally could be cured by non-surgical methods by fixing the joints in place and keeping it immobile for extended periods. The surgical method involves fixation of fractured bone with screws, plates and rods.
2. Proximal Humerus Fractures: In most of the cases non-surgical treatment itself is found to be sufficient as explained earlier and in extreme cases surgical treatment is opted for. Even in this case the bones are put in position by plates, screws and rods.
3. Scapula factures: Shoulder separations, shoulder dislocations also could be treated by non-surgical methods. But when the injury is severe and when the bones have cut and gone through the muscles and tissues then surgical treatments are opted.
