“Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes…” doesn’t that bring back memories? There’s a good chance that you probably remember that catchy little song from childhood. And as you are singing it you will probably notice that “shoulders” are listed second. Must be pretty important, huh? Well, if you guessed “yes”, you are correct. If you have suffered a shoulder injury or are experiencing shoulder stiffness following an auto accident, there’s a good chance you’re in a lot of pain and need relief soon. The shoulders are an extremely important part of the upper-body system and you rely on them to perform almost all everyday tasks. So, if you’ve been injured in a car accident and are looking for relief for your shoulder pain or injury, let us tell you how a chiropractor, such as Kaizo Health, can help!  

 

4 Common Types of Shoulder Injuries 

Here are the top four common types of shoulder injuries after an auto accident. Let us discuss what causes them and how they can affect our body and wellbeing. 

• Shoulder Dislocation 
• Labral Tears 
• Shoulder AC Joint Separation 
• Fractures  

 

What Is Shoulder Dislocation? 

Shoulder dislocations are when the ball gets forcefully moved out of the socket, normally through trauma such as a car accident, sports, falls, etc. Shoulder dislocations are common seat-belt injuries, because while the seat belt is doing its job to keep you in place upon impact, your body will still be thrown forward and the resulting friction can cause injury.  

If your shoulder is dislocated, it will need to be relocated to start healing. This can happen either on its own or will need to be relocated by a doctor. Once the shoulder is back in place, you will need to participate in a rehabilitative program to ensure that the shoulder muscles are strengthened and to help prevent the possibility of another dislocation. A rehabilitative program, such as the program at Kaizo Health, systematically strengthens the weak muscles and stretches the ones that are too tight, which helps relieve the patient of pain and to prevent further injury.  

It is also important that the shoulder blade muscles are in proper alignment in order to position the shoulder in a way that minimizes the risk for further injury. Our doctors use kinesiology taping methods to provide support for the muscles that need extra support and stability, especially in the case of shoulder dislocations.  

What Are Labral Tears? 

A labral tear is a tear in the cartilage-like tissue in the shoulder that helps stabilize the shoulder joint. This tissue can tear during trauma such as a car accident, sports injury, or fall. It can even tear from overuse during one’s lifetime (think baseball players, swimmers, etc.). Labral tears are another common type of seat belt injury, which occurs when the body is forcefully moved forward from impact but restrained to the seat by the seat belt at the same time.  

Strengthening exercises of the rotator cuff, general shoulder muscles and shoulder blade muscles can help build stability and prevent further injury.  

 

What Is Shoulder Separation? 

A shoulder separation is an injury to the joint on top of the shoulder (the joint between the shoulder blade and collar bone). This type of injury can happen during a direct blow to the to the shoulder (car accident or sports injury) or a fall onto an outstretched hand. 

A shoulder separation can be treated with kinesiology taping, rehab exercises and pain-relieving treatments like cyrotherapy and electrical stimulation. 

 

What Are Fractures? 

One last common type of shoulder injury suffered during auto accidents are fractures to the shoulder. These can take place during the impact of accidents from either another vehicle or a seat belt. There are three types of shoulder fractures:  

• Clavicle fracture – this is probably the most common fracture suffered in auto accidents because the clavicle or collarbone, is the long thin bone that begins at the base of the neck and extends out to the shoulder – which is typically located right below where a seat belt crosses over.  
• Humerus fractures – the humerus is the long bone that runs from your elbow to your shoulder.  
• Scapula fracture – the scapula is the flat triangular bone located in the upper back and provides the primary connection between the chest and arm. These types of fractures are typically rarer but can occur during auto accidents.  

 

What Are the Symptoms of Shoulder Injuries? 

Now that we’ve covered typical types of shoulder injuries suffered during auto accidents, what are the signs and symptoms you should look for? Symptoms can include but are not limited to:  

• Pain 
• Swelling 
• Numbness  
• Tingling  
• Weakness  
• Change in range of motion  
• Changes in temperature or color  

 

How Can Chiropractic Care Help in Shoulder Injuries 

If you have suffered a shoulder injury or are experiencing shoulder stiffness following an auto accident, you should immediately seek the care of a chiropractor. Why? Because chiropractors are the industry leaders in auto accident injuries. They can work with you to find a natural, holistic approach to treating your pain. Did you know that only 6.2% of all shoulder injuries require surgery? Even though we know shoulder injuries can be extremely painful and debilitating, don’t think that means you have to have surgery to fix it!  

Another important reason to seek the care of a chiropractor for a shoulder injury or seat belt related injury is a chiropractor will take a drug-free approach to your care. Here at Kaizo Health, our doctors and their team will put together a comprehensive and individualized plan of hands-on treatment and rehabilitative exercises that will help to heal your injuries in a safe way. Don’t let someone write you a prescription that will mask the symptoms for something that can and should be treated naturally. Our doctors’ goal is to always get to the root of the issue. Our combined approach of chiropractic care and rehabilitative exercises is proven to be more efficient and successful than one approach alone. So far, we have helped more than 100,000 people in the Washington, DC area live pain-free lives. 

 

Get Your Shoulder Treated at Kaizo Health 

Our goal at Kaizo Health is to always get you back to feeling 100%. Not only will our doctors provide treatment to help you be pain-free, but we also have a dedicated team that will work with you and your insurance to make sure you get the most from your benefits so that you can experience relief for as little cost to you as possible. If you are ready to experience relief from the pain, make an appointment to see us now.  

At Kaizo Health, our world-class team of chiropractors in Rockville, MD; Landover, MD; Fort Washington, MD; and Fairfax, VA, practices an evidence-based approach combining chiropractic care and guided, individualized rehabilitative exercises prescription. We provide the treatment and resources you need to recover your health and strength as best-in-class, state-of-the-art chiropractors. We are here to help! In the meantime, make sure that you check out our blog for more information on the chiropractic field, as well as our free virtual self-assessment chiropractic web app here. 

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