Are You Sick?

Types of Shoulder Injuries

• Fractures are broken bones. A broken collar bone is one of the most common broken bones. The collar bone will be tender to touch and may look misshapen. You cannot raise the arm upward. Other fractures can occur in the upper arm and shoulder blade.
• Dislocations happen when a bone is pulled out of a its joint socket. A dislocated shoulder is a common sports injury and can also be caused by falls.
• Sprains are stretches and tears of ligaments.
• Strains are stretches and tears of muscles.
• Muscle Overuse. Muscle pain can occur without an injury. There is no fall or direct blow. Muscle overuse is from hard work or sports (such as a sore shoulder).
• Muscle bruise from a direct blow
• Bone bruise from a direct blow
• Skin Injury. Examples are a cut, scratch, scrape or bruise. All are common with arm injuries.

Pain Scale

• Mild: you feel some pain, but it does not keep you from your normal activities. Work, activities and sleep are not changed.
• Moderate: the pain keeps you from doing some normal activities. It may wake you up from sleep.
• Severe: the pain is very bad. It keeps you from doing all normal activities.