Basketball Shoulder
By James D. Spearman, MD

Shoulder problems are common in basketball players for they not only throw the ball, but also do a lot of work with their arms in an overhead position. Over stressing the shoulder can result in weakness, pain, and loss of motion. To the basketball player the result is decreased efficiency in rebounding, shooting, and passing.

The most prevalent injury involving the shoulder is rotator cuff strain, which is also called impingement syndrome, rotator cuff tendonitis, bursitis, and biceps tendonitis. It usually involves a small muscle called the supraspinatus that acts as an external rotator of the shoulder. It also functions as a muscle stabilizer of the shoulder joint and a decelerator (braking motion) of the arm during the throwing motion. The supraspinatus is often injured with lifting heavy objects with the arms extended away from the body and with repetitive throwing. Symptoms include weakness in raising the arm to the side, which is called abduction, and pain in the posterior shoulder, anterior shoulder, and trapezius muscles when raising the arm overhead.

Treatment Involves:

? Avoidance of lifting heavy objects, and repetitive overhead working and throwing

?Anti-inflammatories

?A series of exercises stressing repetition between 0 and 90 degrees (from the side of the body to parallel with the floor) using no weight or resistance

?For throwing athletes, a routine is prescribed for throwing short tosses and progressing to long tosses then back to shorter throws with more speed.

A preventive program to strengthen the rotator cuff before the season is the best way to avoid injuries. Warming up before throwing is essential. Rotator cuff strain can develop into rotator cuff tears that require surgical repair. So if you have pain in your shoulder with throwing, check with your trainer or doctor and avoid turning little problems into big problems.