Joints are complex structures and vulnerable to injuries. The shoulder features several joints, major ligaments and muscles. Shoulder injuries La Jolla are a lot more common, considering the added complexity. Factors such as aging, occupation, and conditions like osteoarthritis increase your risk of shoulder injuries. While prevalent in athletes, especially those who use the upper extremities more like tennis players, shoulder injuries can happen to anyone. Among the measures that can help minimize shoulder injury includes:
Strengthen the muscles
Improving muscle strength around the shoulders helps protect and keep them stable, minimizing injury risks. The muscle strengthening measures also make ligaments, tendons, and bones stronger. The stronger the elements, the better they can hold your body and maintain proper alignment, which cushions your bones and joints when moving. You don’t have to hit the gym and lift heavy equipment to strengthen muscles around the shoulders. Simple measures like using elastic bands can suffice. The exercises can gradually but steadily increase resistance during your shoulder movements, minimizing injury chances.
Improve flexibility
Your shoulder can assume over 1000 positions. As the joint with the most movements and range of motion, your shoulder is vulnerable to overuse injuries. The risk is higher when your shoulder’s flexibility is not at its best. Simple exercises like stretches can help you maintain good shoulder flexibility and range of motion. Techniques like yoga can also help, which besides flexibility, helps improve balance and strength, further minimizing shoulder injury chances.
Warm-up and cool-down
Diving right into your activities, like a tennis match, without warming up is a perfect way to invite a shoulder injury. Warming up helps loosen the joints and improve blood flow to the muscles. This enhances their performance and limits the chances of muscle tearing, ripping, or twisting in ways that hurt during intense activities. Warm-ups as simple as stretching can significantly lower shoulder injury risk.
A cool-down helps maintain joint mobility and range of motion after the demanding activity. The cool-down enhances blood flow to the muscles and helps minimize tightness and stiffness. The right techniques can’t be emphasized in sporting activities, which include warm-ups and cool-downs. The measures are applicable in athletic settings and daily routines as you work to minimize shoulder and other joint injuries.
Observe moderation
Exercises such as push-ups help keep your shoulders healthy. Nonetheless, overdoing can do more harm than good. This is more so since most shoulder injuries emanate from overuse. Moderating your exercises is not just about how often you do them but also the technique. For example, taking the chest all the way down in push-ups means your shoulders are extended more. Lifting your body weight from such a position can over-exert your shoulders, resulting in injuries. Instead, you can go to the level where your elbows and body are in a parallel position, which doesn’t significantly extend the shoulders.
Ergonomics counts as you strive to minimize shoulder injuries. This includes how you sit, operate a computer, and use your phone, among other positions that require shoulder movements. An injured shoulder can significantly impact your routine. Picking items from the ground or above shoulder level can become challenging, affecting productivity. Visit Upper Extremity Specialists of Ortho 1 Medical Group today for more on shoulder injuries, prevention, and treatment.