Introduction to biomechanics


Shouldering the Pain

If you have ever woken up at night with aGenerally, if the type of pain you are
painful shoulder, you're not alone. It's afeeling is localised on the tip of the
very common complaint in the over 50s, andshoulder, with pain most obvious when lifting
could be hiding a more serious problem, butthe arm straight upwards, you may be
one that could be dealt with quickly andsuffering from a degenerative condition which
simply.is affecting a small joint located between
the collarbone and shoulder blade. Again, the
Things  that  go  bump  in  the  nightmajority of patients can be helped with a
course  of  Hydrocortisone  injections.
It's a strange occurrence that shoulder pain
is generally much worse at night. PeoplePatience is an unnecessary virtue - Symptom 3
often think that it's simply to do with the
fact that at night, the brain doesn't haveTruly agonising pain and progressive
anything else to concentrate on. However,stiffness in the shoulder are symptoms of a
although not yet fully understood, there is a'frozen shoulder'. Extremely painful, the
scientific reason that goes some way incondition progresses in three stages. The
explaining the phenomena. It's all related tofirst 6-8 months is characterised
our body's natural rhythms, as our cortisolpredominately by pain, the second 6-8 months
drops to its lowest level in the early hoursby pain and stiffness and the third, by
of  the  morning,  so  the  pain  increases.mainly stiffness. Be warned, this condition
does not show up by X-ray or by scanning as
But if you are suffering, what can be done,both of these simply appear normal. The good
and  what  is  the  probable  cause?news is that by 18-24 months the condition
will have naturally run its course and
Dread  getting  dressed  -  Symptom  1resolved itself. If you think that you have a
frozen shoulder and do not want to wait, you
Sufferers who have a combination of steadymay be able to benefit from a manipulation of
pain when the shoulder is at rest and morethe shoulder under anaesthetic. This should
intense pain when the arm is raised tobreak the natural cycle of events and help
shoulder height, for example, when reachingrestore  movement  and  reduce  the  pain.
for objects from a shelf or even when
driving, may be suffering from a tendonGrinding  to  a  halt  -  Symptom  4
injury. This is where the tendons have
changed shape, which may have happened for aGrating in the shoulder, together with
number  of  reasons.progressive pain and stiffness, and a
restriction of all movements, could be a sign
Most sufferers of this type of shoulderof osteoarthritus. This is a condition that
problem can be helped with a series of threeneeds to be managed and is best controlled
Hydroctorisone  injections.with analgesics and anti-inflammatories.
Fortunately, only a very few patients with
However, there is some effort required by thethis condition require shoulder replacements,
patient, as an exercise regime will help toand those that do can be cheered by the fact
strengthen up the other muscles in thethat  this  generally  has excellent results.
shoulder to prevent them rubbing against the
tendon.So if your stirrings in the night are due to
a painful shoulder, don't hesitate. Go and
Hands  Up  -  Symptom  2see an orthopaedic surgeon. There's really no
need to live with the pain.



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