Stretch of the ligament of the shoulder joint: symptoms and treatment

Today, people are increasingly turning to specialists with the problem of stretching the ligament of the shoulder joint. This trend is explained by an appropriate way of life, irrational nutrition and even hereditary predisposition. As a rule, with such a problem one has to face with considerable physical or even mechanical loads.

General information

The shoulder belt, which provides movement of the upper limbs, consists of three joints (shoulder, acromico-clavicular, shoulder-scapular). Because of the high amplitude of movements, this area is considered a fairly vulnerable place for various injuries. The shoulder joint is characterized by the natural instability of the so-called ligamentous apparatus, so it is very often necessary to encounter strains. In fact, such a pathology almost always means a rupture of ligaments. Depending on the severity of the injury, microscopic and complete breaks are distinguished.

Bundles are dense strands, consisting mainly of connective tissue. They form a kind of cohesion between the bones.

Stretching of the ligaments of the shoulder joint often leads to a violation of movements throughout the trunk. In the absence of timely treatment, the probability of a problem re-birth into a chronic pathology increases, which is manifested in the instability of the damaged area.

Main reasons

• Excessive physical activity. Injuries of the shoulder of such a nature are diagnosed primarily among athletes engaged in swimming or weightlifting.
• Violation of normal blood supply, which leads to a decrease in tissue elasticity.
• The formation of bone growths (osteophytes).
• Bad habits. Smoking, for example, disrupts metabolic processes throughout the body.
• Admission of hormonal drugs.

Clinical picture

As a rule, with lesions of the shoulder, only certain ligaments are affected (sternoclavicular, joint capsule or so-called scapula-rib joint). Depending on the injury, various structures that can stabilize the joint can be involved in the pathological process.

Stretching of the ligaments of the shoulder joint is usually characterized by severe pain and discomfort in this area. Unpleasant sensations amplify at a palpation and movements. In addition, there may be a slight swelling, a limitation of the habitual mobility of a certain group of muscles. Sometimes the temperature of the skin increases. If there is no timely treatment, the pain syndrome becomes more intense with each passing day, swelling delivers significant discomfort. All this testifies to the development of a rather dangerous pathology called primary tendonitis.

How is the sprain of the shoulder joint classified?

Symptoms of damage and their intensity vary according to the severity of the injury:

1. The first degree is characterized by mild clinical signs. The patient has minor damage, and the area of damage is minimal. Painful discomfort differs in pulling character.
2. The second degree is characterized by more severe symptoms. Pain is more intense, any attempts to move the hand are accompanied by increased discomfort. Moderate edema, hematomas due to subcutaneous hemorrhage are observed.
3. The third degree is marked by pronounced symptoms. Patients complain of severe pain in the affected area. There are difficulties in performing the usual movements of the hand, the instability of the entire shoulder joint is noted. Such patients need immediate hospitalization.

First aid

In the first minutes after damage to the shoulder area, experts strongly recommend that the victim be positioned in such a way as to minimize the burden on the area. Better to unbutton your clothes. Under the affected joint it is necessary to lay soft matter and firmly fix it with a tire or the most common elastic bandage. After that, a cloth moistened with cold water should be applied to the tire or bandage. The above procedures can reduce the pain of discomfort, which so often accompanies stretching of the ligaments of the shoulder joint.

At this stage, the necessary assistance is completed. All subsequent measures should be carried out under the supervision of a qualified specialist and necessarily in a stationary environment.

If the patient has a slight stretch of the ligament of the shoulder joint, the symptoms do not cause painful discomfort, the measures described above are sufficient. However, it will not be superfluous to consult a doctor.

Diagnostics

If you suspect a pathology, you should immediately contact a traumatologist. The doctor at the reception first of all should listen to the patient's complaints, conduct a physical examination and collect a complete medical history. Only after this, a number of additional procedures can be prescribed (X-ray examination for differentiation of diagnosis, ultrasound, MRI, arthroscopy).

It is not recommended to try to determine the nature of the injury on your own. A qualified specialist can confirm in the shortest possible time the stretching of the ligaments of the shoulder joint and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Conservative therapy

Within a few days after receiving immediate injury, patients are recommended complete rest and cold exposure to the affected area. To prevent further deformations in the joint, it is necessary to wear a special caliper. However, a long period of immobilization can adversely affect the immediate functionality of the shoulder.

Analgesics are recommended to relieve painful discomfort (Baralgin, Pentalgin, Panadol). Then, usually prescribed drugs based on ibuprofen ("Naproxen", "Indomethacin", "Chlotazol").

Also, doctors appoint all patients who encounter such a problem as stretching the ligament of the shoulder joint, ointment. What are they like?

• Homeopathic. These drugs improve metabolic processes, inhibit tissue destruction ("Objective T", "Traumeel C").
• Warm up. Such remedies improve the nutrition of tissues, relieve painful discomfort (Finalgon, Kapsikam).
• Ointments-chondroprotectors.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They are responsible for reducing pain, relieve inflammation, but have many side effects. Such ointments are not recommended for a long time ("Naise", "Ketoprofen", "Nimesulide").
• Combined.

All of the above means can forever forget about such a problem as stretching the ligaments of the shoulder joint. Ointments, gels and other medications should be prescribed exclusively by a specialist based on the individual condition of the patient.

To help surgical intervention, it is necessary to resort only in especially serious cases, when the patient has hemorrhage. Also, surgery can be prescribed when conservative therapy has not produced the desired effect.

The help of traditional medicine

How else can you reduce the painful discomfort that is characteristic of such a pathology as sprain of the shoulder joint? Treatment with folk remedies is another option for therapy. However, it is recommended to use it only after visiting a doctor. Below we list the most popular recipes of traditional medicine.

1. Potatoes. It is necessary to grind the peeled tubers, mix with onion, sugar and cabbage in approximately equal proportions. In terms of consistency, this remedy should resemble a gruel. Appliques with potatoes are recommended to be done in the evening and left overnight.
2. Garlic. Several cloves of garlic must be peeled off and husked to the state of gruel, add animal fat. The resulting mixture should be placed on a fire and boiled. For a few minutes you can put a couple of leaves of eucalyptus. After cooling, this mixture must be filtered and rubbed into the affected area several times a day.
3. The elder is also effective in such pathology as stretching of the ligaments of the shoulder joint. Treatment at home in this case implies the use of a small amount of fresh berries (about 200 g). In a small amount of water, you need to boil an elder, add a tablespoon of soda. The broth should cool down, after which it must be filtered. For the treatment of stretching, it is recommended to moisten a rag in the broth and apply it to the affected area for 15-20 minutes.

Preventive measures

Timely treatment of sprain of the shoulder joint is practically effective in every case. However, any pathology is easier to prevent than the subsequent course of drug therapy. In this case, experts recommend to constantly strengthen the ligament-muscle apparatus. For these purposes, you need to exercise regularly , do exercises in the morning, stick to an active lifestyle. When performing exercises of any complexity, sudden movements should be avoided if the muscles have not been preheated properly in advance.

In case of trauma, independent treatment of sprain of the shoulder joint is not recommended. It is better to seek help from a surgeon. Sometimes under the guise of the most common stretch, serious dislocation or even rupture of ligaments can hide, which in the absence of competent therapy threatens with serious complications.

Particular attention should be given to the daily diet. It should be rich in calcium and vitamin D. It is extremely important to observe the correct drinking regime, because it is the liquid that provides sufficient elasticity of tissues and speeds up metabolism.