Depending on the length of time someone has suffered shoulder arthritis, they may experience the following symptoms;
- Constant shoulder pain during the day
- Shoulder pain at night causing disruption to sleep
- Increased pain and tender with touch
- Loss of shoulder movement
- Loss of shoulder strength
- Increased shoulder stiffness
- Depression
What Causes Shoulder Arthritis? Shoulder arthritis is the body’s reaction to damage of the shiny smooth surface of the shoulder joint. Arthritis itself causes further joint damage and the deterioration of surrounding structures. In osteoarthritis, excessive wear and tear causes damage to the joint surface, often by undertaking shoulder activities which are repetitive, heavy loaded or employing poor posture or poor technique. Joints affected by this kind of condition are usually isolated to one side of the body. Arthritis of the shoulder may also get names like post-traumatic arthritis, avascular necrosis and rotator cuff arthropathy. A traumatic event such as shoulder dislocation, fractures and rotator cuff tears damage the joint surface leading to early onset of arthritis or acceleration of the current arthritis. Different to osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or RA, is an autoimmune disease which doctors believe is caused by genetic susceptibility towards certain environmental factors such as infection by viruses or bacteria which may trigger the disease. Once triggered, RA slowly attacks the lining of joint surfaces, often affecting joints on both sides of the body. Sports Injuries Causing Shoulder Arthritis Shoulder arthritis may be instigated by an unbalanced shoulder position, which has caused wear and tear to the shoulder joint. Sports may affect the balance of a shoulder by:
- Over developing areas of the shoulder
- Awkward techniques
- Challenging shoulder positions
- Fatigue from prolonging the same activity
The more often the balance of the shoulder is compromised, the higher the risk of developing shoulder arthritis. Sports like weightlifting, gymnastics, crossfit and sailing where shoulder technique, posture and fatigue are important to the activity, may excessively wear and tear the shoulder joint. Players should be careful to monitor the balance of their shoulder and get their shoulders regularly checked for any irregular clicking, cracking or pain which may come and go and possibly indicate shoulder arthritis. Contact sports like rugby, AFL, football, netball and basketball or sports like cycling and parkour are often the cause of serious traumatic shoulder injury, such as breaks and dislocations. Traumatic injury of this kind should be checked for joint damage and the risk of early onset of shoulder arthritis. Workplace Injury Causing Shoulder Arthritis Like some sports, some workplace activities may affect the normal balance of the shoulder, increasing wear and tear and the risk of developing shoulder arthritis. Repetitive workplace activities like painting, plastering and pulling on ropes may cause poor shoulder balance as a consequence of poor technique, poor posture, or for other reasons during the activity. Workers who experience clicking and pain in their shoulder should be regularly checked and monitored for the development of shoulder arthritis. Dr Gupta runs regular sports injury clinics and workers injury clinics to evaluate your condition and provide you with a plan to minimise your risk of the effects of shoulder arthritis. Make an online booking here to see Dr Gupta about the state of your current shoulder condition.