Shoulder pain is not uncommon in sports. However, the intensity of this pain goes up when it’s aggravated because of an injury. The shoulder is a very complex joint that has a lot of ligaments and tendons to support it. Even a small mistake while playing can lead to serious injuries and affect your performance on the field as well as in your daily life. It affects your arm strength, range of motion, posture, endurance, and even self-confidence.
Do you know that almost every sport involves the use of shoulders? Be it baseball, basketball, golf, or tennis – they all involve throwing something with your shoulders. Because of the extensive usage of the shoulders, there are many people who suffer from shoulder injuries from these sports. Keep reading to know more about recovering from shoulder injuries in 5 simple ways
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Try Rotator Cuff Exercises
Rotator cuff exercises are a great way to strengthen the muscles around the shoulder. If you’re experiencing any pain in the shoulder, there is a high chance that your rotator cuff muscles might be weak. These exercises also help in getting rid of the impingement caused by bone spurs around the joint. You can try these exercises in your home and can also be done along with your other exercises.
A great rotator cuff exercise is the wall climb. You can do this exercise either against the wall or against a bar. The wall climb is a great rotator cuff exercise because it strengthens the muscles in the shoulder without putting too much stress on the joint. You can also try the towel rotator cuff exercise. This is a great rotator cuff exercise that can be done anywhere.
Practice Stretching and Yoga
Stretching is one of the best ways to treat shoulder pains. Yoga is a great way to strengthen your shoulder muscles and get rid of shoulder pains. Yoga poses such as Garudasana (eagle pose), Shalabhasana (locust pose), Halasana (plow pose) and Bakasana (crane pose) are great shoulder stretch exercises which you can do at home. Apart from these, you can also practice shoulder rotations, shoulder shrugs, shoulder girdle squeezes, and shoulder dislocations. They are the best shoulder openers that help in treating shoulder pains. You can also try breathing exercises that help in relaxing the muscles and release shoulder pains.
Use Ice to Reduce Inflammation
One of the best and simple ways to heal your shoulder injury is to apply ice to the affected area. It helps reduce inflammation and swelling, which are major reasons for shoulder issues. You can use ice for about 15 to 20 minutes, followed by rest for 20 minutes before resuming it. This can be done thrice a day. You can also try ice massage by using a cloth to cover the ice cube to reduce swelling and speed up the healing process. Apart from this, you can also try herbal teas to reduce inflammation and pain. You can also try an ice-water mixture, where you put a cup of water in a bowl and add an ice cube to it. This will give you the benefits of both ice and water at the same time.
Get a Professional Consultation
If your pain is severe, it is recommended to visit a doctor to get a thorough consultation and treatment. Most of the time, shoulder injuries cause swelling and pain, which can be reduced with the help of a doctor. You can also visit a physical therapist who can give you exercises to heal your shoulder injuries. If you’ve had a traumatic injury or surgery, it’s best to see a physical therapist get a thorough assessment of your injury. They can help you with pain management, mobility and strength exercises, and home exercises that you can do at any time. You can also visit a doctor who can prescribe you painkillers, muscle relaxants, and other meds that can help you with your pain.
Try Physical Therapy
Apart from the above-mentioned remedies, you can also try physical therapy to get back in shape. Physical therapy is a great way to get back to your normal life. They will help you regain your pain-free range of motion and strength. You can also get a few exercises from them to reduce your pain and get back to normalcy. You can visit a physical therapist as many times as you want and can also get a recommendation from your doctor. Physical therapists have advanced training in a variety of techniques that can help you.
Moreover, they have the expertise to guide you through your treatment and progress. They can assess your injury, provide you with a treatment plan, and help you get back to your daily activities. They have a wide range of tools at their disposal that can help you heal faster. These include modalities and exercises that can help you regain your strength and flexibility.
Conclusion
Shoulder injuries are quite common in sports like tennis, baseball, golf, basketball, and many other sports. This is because of the extensive usage of the shoulders. To recover from these injuries, you can try rotator cuff exercises, stretching, and yoga, using ice to reduce inflammation, and getting a professional consultation. You can also try physical therapy as a last resort to recover from your injuries quickly. If you follow these simple ways, you can recover from your injuries quickly and be back to your normal life.
