Bruise of the shoulder
definition
A shoulder bruise is an injury to the shoulder that usually heals without consequences. It usually arises from a fall or an impact trauma. In the case of a bruise, the force exerted on the affected tissue can cause bruises and swelling. A bruise on the shoulder is painful, and the affected shoulder can often not be loaded as usual. The pain can also restrict movement and the patient may involuntarily assume a relieving posture. A bruise of the shoulder usually heals without consequences.
Read more on the subject at: Shoulder pain
causes
The cause of a bruise on the shoulder is a force applied to the shoulder, which damages the tissue. Such an accident often occurs in everyday life while doing sports. In contact sports in particular, shoulder bruises can result from falls on the shoulder, collisions or fouls. Bicycle falls or accidents at work, especially during manual work, are common accident mechanisms. The force acting on the shoulder causes the tissue to be crushed. This can cause swelling or bruising, which occurs when small vessels tear apart. This irritation of the tissue causes pain. Pain serves as a protective function for the body and in this case prevents the shoulder from being heavily stressed, as it is necessary to take care of the tissue for good healing. The patient should listen to their pain and not engage in activities that cause severe pain. However, light activities that are not painful are harmless and can even contribute to faster healing through better blood flow to the tissue.
Appointment with a shoulder specialist
I would be happy to advise you!
Who am I?
My name is Carmen Heinz. I am a specialist in orthopedics and trauma surgery in the specialist team of .
The shoulder joint is one of the most complicated joints in the human body.
The treatment of the shoulder (rotator cuff, impingement syndrome, calcified shoulder (tendinosis calcarea, biceps tendon, etc.) therefore requires a lot of experience.
I treat a wide variety of shoulder diseases in a conservative way.
The aim of any therapy is treatment with full recovery without surgery.
Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.
You can find me in:
- Lumedis - your orthopedic surgeon
Kaiserstrasse 14
60311 Frankfurt am Main
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Unfortunately, it is currently only possible to make an appointment with private health insurers. I hope for your understanding!
You can find more information about myself at Carmen Heinz.
Concomitant symptoms
Depending on how the shoulder was bruised, other parts of the body may be injured as a result of the accident. Especially when the pain in the shoulder is greatest after the accident, the patient may not notice other injuries because he is distracted by the complaints in the shoulder or is still frightened by the accident. In such a case, it is important to observe the body closely in the initial period after an accident and, if necessary, to contact a doctor elsewhere if pain occurs again.
Due to a relieving posture, which is often adopted due to pain when the shoulder is bruised, tension in the neck and back muscles can occur. Often, patients move less after a shoulder bruise, and there may be other injuries so that they cannot move as usual. This, however, maintains tension and can sometimes worsen. Tension in the neck can also cause other symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and tinnitus. Heat applications and physiotherapy can be helpful against any tension that has developed.
Read more on the topic: Inflammation of the shoulder blade
Pain especially at night
Many shoulder discomforts occur especially at night. This is because, in an upright position, the weight of the arm creates more space between the head of the humerus and the shoulder height (acromion). If we lie down at night, this space becomes narrower and the structures there are narrowed. If the shoulder is bruised, structures located there such as bursa and muscle tendon sheaths may be swollen as a result of the accident and the tight space in the lying position may no longer be sufficient for them. Squeezing them can cause pain. However, there may have been signs of wear and tear in the shoulder before, such as a calcified shoulder or irritation of the rotator cuff or the long biceps tendon, which now cause more pain due to the bruise and the associated inflammatory reaction. These diseases can also cause pain, especially at night.
diagnosis
A bruise of the shoulder is a diagnosis of exclusion. If a shoulder is painful after an accident, injuries to the bones, tendons, muscles and other structures in the shoulder area should be ruled out by a doctor. In the case of restricted mobility and pain, an x-ray is usually made in order to assess the bony structures and the joint relationships in the shoulder. In the case of a shoulder injury, targeted examinations of strength and motor skills are important in order to provide the doctor with information about an injury to the rotator cuff. This consists of four muscles that surround the shoulder joint and are responsible for the movements in the shoulder. If a lesion is suspected, additional imaging with an MRI of the shoulder is usually necessary.
therapy
Shortly after the accident that caused the shoulder bruise, cooling can be a pain reliever therapy. Cooling can also reduce swelling. It is important that the refrigerator is not cooled for too long and with objects that are too cold, there is a risk that the tissue, especially the skin, will suffer frostbite. It is good to alternate between 10 minutes of cooling and 20 minutes of no cooling. Light pain medications like ibuprofen can also relieve pain. Immobilizing bandages such as an arm sling are usually not required when the shoulder is bruised; on the contrary, they can cause neck tension. In addition, the shoulder is often spared too much and no longer moved at all.
A slight movement that does not cause pain for the patient, without great stress, is beneficial for the healing, as the tissue is better supplied with blood and does not stiffen the joint. The prescription of physiotherapy can also be useful here. The aim is not to lose the previously achieved range of motion by taking care of yourself and to support the structures in regeneration. As a rule, bruises on the shoulder heal without any major therapy effort.
What can you do about the pain?
In the acute stage, immediately after the accident, it is advisable to cool the affected shoulder to relieve the pain. Taking pain medication is also helpful, but should not be done for more than a few days without medical supervision. Pain relieving ointments can also be applied. If the shoulder is bruised, it is important to protect the affected shoulder and arm and not to subject it to any movements or loads that are painful. The pain acts as a warning to the body and should not be ignored.
Taping
If the shoulder is bruised, measures such as kinesio taping can be used to help. It is believed that kinesiotape has a positive influence on the regeneration of muscles and joints. Pain-relieving effects by inhibiting inflammatory reactions are also discussed. The support function of the tape also relieves the joint, which can alleviate the symptoms. Kinesio taping is offered by many physiotherapists and doctors. Therapy with kinesiotape is not covered by statutory health insurance.
Read more on the subject at: Kinesio tape
physical therapy
A shoulder bruise is a minor injury to the shoulder in which the joint structures do not suffer any consequential structural damage. Usually the shoulder can be used again shortly after the accident. For this reason, physiotherapy is not absolutely necessary. In the case of protracted processes or accompanying symptoms such as tension, tense muscles can be loosened in physiotherapy and symptoms can be relieved sustainably through stretching and muscle strengthening.
Duration
A bruise on the shoulder usually heals after three to four weeks, so that the symptoms are gone and the shoulder is fully resilient again. Since the bruise of the shoulder is a diagnosis of exclusion and is often made on the basis of the symptoms without elaborate diagnostics, it is advisable to consult a doctor again if the healing process is longer. It must then be evaluated whether the symptoms are possibly due to an initially overlooked injury to the shoulder. Overloading shortly after a shoulder bruise, before the symptoms have gone, can prolong the healing process.Overloading the bruised shoulder causes irritation of the tissue, which leads to an inflammatory reaction. The tissue then has to recover not only from the initial bruise on the shoulder, but also from this irritation. This recovery can take a longer period of time, especially in the case of repeated overload.
How long will you be on sick leave?
The length of time on sick leave after a shoulder bruise depends on a number of factors. On the one hand, the patient's pain symptoms must be taken into account. Another important factor is, of course, the type of work the patient is doing. In the case of manual activities that require a high load on the shoulder, the patient may not be able to carry out this activity due to the bruised shoulder. After two to three weeks, however, most of the manual work should be possible again. Especially work at the desk cannot be carried out very quickly or even immediately after the accident.
What is the amount of compensation for pain and suffering?
If the shoulder is bruised in an accident caused by another person, compensation for pain and suffering can be claimed. In addition, the injured person may have suffered a loss of service due to incapacity for work, which he can also claim from the person who caused the accident. The amount of compensation for pain and suffering depends on any accompanying injuries and the limitation and symptoms associated with the injury. Tables for compensation for pain and suffering can provide an initial orientation.
When can I do sports again?
When to exercise again after a bruise of the shoulder depends on the pain and limitations of the patient. The rule is that the shoulder should only be loaded as much as possible without pain. Contact sports and sports in which the shoulder is heavily stressed, such as throwing sports, should be avoided if the shoulder is bruised. They should only be resumed when there is no longer any pain, this can take a few weeks, usually the healing time for a bruise of the shoulder is three to four weeks. If pain occurs again during exercise, the load should be stopped and the shoulder should be spared even more.
