An unexpected trip and fall can send you to the ground in an instant, and with only split seconds to protect yourself from a fall, many people instinctively reach their arms out to brace themselves for contact. Extending your arms to help cushion your fall can help to protect more vital areas of your body like your head and chest, but it typically means that your arms and shoulders bear the brunt of the trauma from the fall. Oftentimes it’s hard or impossible to move your shoulders without pain after a significant fall, and while it’s clear that something is amiss, you may not know exactly what you’re dealing with. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the most common shoulder injuries that occur as a result of a fall.
Common Shoulder Injuries From Falling
If you’ve fallen and are now finding it difficult to comfortably move your arm and shoulder, here’s a look at a couple of potential injuries that may have developed.
- Rotator Cuff Tear – Your rotator cuff is a collection of soft tissues that help to securely hold the ball of your shoulder joint in the socket. Abrupt trauma to the shoulder area can lead to overstretching or tearing of these tissues. These tears can be quite painful, but they can also destabilize the shoulder joint, meaning your shoulder may feel loose or unstable when trying to move it. Rotator cuff tears are typically treated with physical therapy to restrengthen the tissues, otherwise pain and instability can linger, which also raises your risk of a shoulder dislocation.
- Shoulder Dislocation – Speaking of shoulder dislocations, a dislocation is another common type of injury that can be suffered during a fall. If the rotator cuff cannot handle the stress of the fall, the ball of the shoulder joint may pop out of the socket, otherwise known as a dislocation. Shoulder dislocations are typically quite painful in the moment, and while many people can reset the shoulder joint on their own with some gentle manipulation, that doesn’t mean you’re done treating the injury. Again, physical therapy will be essential to strengthen supportive soft tissues to reduce your likelihood of a recurrence.
- Shoulder Separation – Your acromioclavicular joint (AC joint) is located at the outer end of your clavicle where it attaches to the acromion of your scapula, and this joint is located on top of the shoulder area. When you fall, it’s common for this area of your shoulder to absorb a large portion of the stress. If this trauma causes the ligaments that hold this joint in place to stretch or tear, it’s known as a shoulder separation. Most mild to moderate separations are treated with – you guessed it – physical therapy to target the injured ligaments.
- Clavicle Fracture – Finally, if your fall was accompanied by a crack or a pop, there’s a decent chance that you suffered a clavicle fracture. Your clavicle is a slender, S-shaped bone near the top of your shoulder. It’s not well protected and isn’t as strong as other bones due to its size and shape, making it prime for injury during a fall. Clavicle fractures, also known as collarbone fractures, are quite common in falls, car accidents and contact sports. Fortunately, most clavicle fractures heal well with conservative methods, which typically involve rest, pain medications, physical therapy and a gradual return to more physical activities.
If you suspect that you’re dealing with any of these injuries after a fall, or you just want a specialist to take a closer look at your shoulder, reach out to Dr. Holloway and his team today at (865) 410-7887.
