If you use a wheelchair to get around throughout the day, there’s a good chance that your arms and shoulders are sore by day’s end. It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that wheelchair users have a higher than normal rate of shoulder injuries due to a number of different lifestyle factors. In today’s blog, we share some tips for how wheelchair users can prevent shoulder injuries.
Causes Of Shoulder Injuries In Wheelchair Users
We recognize that there are a myriad of ways that you can injure your shoulder while in a wheelchair, but oftentimes these injuries stem from one of three common causes:
- Repetitive Strain – Regular arm-powered wheelchair propulsion puts a fair amount of strain on your shoulder, particularly on your rotator cuff. Over time or due to excessive use in a short period of time, the tissues that make up your rotator cuff can weaken or tear, leading to pain and injury.
- Lifting – Wheelchair users also tend to lift things above chest and head level more often because of their body position relative to things like counters, tables and shelves. These overhead lifts put a lot of strain on your shoulder joint, especially since you may not be able to draw much or any strength from your lower half while performing the lift.
- Transfers – Not only do you use your arms regularly when moving around in a wheelchair, but they also handle a lot of stress when transferring yourself in and out of your chair. Improper transferring techniques can increase your risk of a shoulder injury.
Preventing And Treating Shoulder Injuries
If you use a wheelchair on a semi-frequent or regular basis, know that you are at an increased risk for a shoulder injury, so you should take some extra precautions to reduce your risk and treat issues at the first sign of onset. It’s also imperative that you try to keep your shoulders healthy because a recent study found that wheelchair users are three times more likely to be readmitted to a hospital following total shoulder replacement surgery than non-wheelchair users. So what are some of the best ways to strengthen your shoulders and treat problems that develop? Here’s our list of recommendations.
- Exercise – Getting regular exercise is important for people of all ages, and it’s especially important for wheelchair users if their condition limits their physical activity level. When getting exercise, try to pursue activities that involve movements you don’t do on a regular basis. For example, swimming or yoga exercise may be more beneficial than taking a trip around the block in your wheelchair, because that’s putting the same type of stress on your arms and shoulders as you experience when you’re going about your day.
- Targeted Strength Training – Also make it a point to do some strength training exercises that specifically target your shoulders. There are a number of weighted exercise maneuvers or weightless mobility exercises that can improve the function of your arms and shoulders.
- Ideal Posture And Lifting Techniques – Make it a point to have ideal posture in your wheelchair and use appropriate lifting techniques when performing overhead lifts. When you don’t have correct positioning or movement patterns, you can end up putting additional strain on your shoulders, and over time this can expedite tissue and joint degeneration.
- Treat Small Problems – Finally, make sure that you work to treat small shoulder pains before they snowball into a major problem. If you develop new pain or have been bothered by dull chronic shoulder pain for some time, know that the issue likely won’t resolve without proactive treatment. Talk with your doctor about appropriate strengthening exercises or connect with a physical therapist who can chart a treatment routine tailored to your specific needs.
You ask a lot of your shoulders, so make it a point to take care of them and keep them healthy so they can continue to make it easy to get around in a wheelchair. For more information, or for help with a different shoulder issue, reach out to Dr. Holloway and his team today at (865) 410-7887.
