Shoulder injuries that might occur from overuse

On Behalf of | Dec 29, 2015 | Workplace Injuries

The shoulder is one of the most hard-working areas of the human anatomy. In fact, they work so hard and so faithfully that most people take the shoulders for granted. Without healthy shoulders you could experience severe pain and lose the ability to perform common tasks such as reaching, lifting, carrying and many others. These consequences could occur suddenly or gradually over a long period.

It is true that shoulder injuries can happen in many different situations, but often, they occur during the course of work. When an injury to the shoulder happens suddenly, it is easy to determine whether or not it happened while working. It is when shoulder injuries from overuse develop gradually that trouble identifying the exact nature of the problem could arise.

Here are a few common workplace injuries to the shoulder that may occur gradually due to your occupation.

— Tendinitis occurs when tendons located in the shoulders become irritated.

— Frequent overhead arm use can cause tendons to scrape or rub against the shoulder blade resulting in impingement syndrome or rotator cuff tendon inflammation.

— Muscle strain is a common workplace injury that occurs simply from using the muscles in the shoulder excessively.

— Bursitis is similar to tendonitis and occurs when fluid sacs between joints or bones becomes inflamed.

— Limited shoulder movement following an injury can lead to a “frozen shoulder” which may cause problems with the shoulder’s ability to move.

Once you have determined that your shoulder problems were caused by workplace injuries, your next step should be filing a workers’ compensation claim. You might also consider speaking with a Hackensack, New Jersey-based attorney to find out if you have grounds to file a third-party lawsuit for your injuries.

Source: eMedicine Health, “Shoulder Problems and Injuries,” accessed Dec. 29, 2015