U.S. News & World Report—August 28, 2008
Serious bodybuilders who lift heavy weights over their heads are also at risk of AC joint injury, she says. In their case, the bone can actually start to die a bit at the end of the clavicle. "But the most common way to injure the joint is if you fall on the side or front of the shoulder," she says. People who get such a separated shoulder may be at some small risk of future arthritis in the joint, she says. As far as fixing any AC joint problems, physical therapy and more conservative measures such as rest and icing are always the first steps, but especially among high-level athletes like Torres, surgery to remove excess bone is sometimes required.
More common shoulder injuries are tendon problems like rotator cuff tendinitis, which can also strike swimmers or other athletes who use repetitive motions. And kids can get "Little League shoulder," an overuse injury that comes from too much fast pitching. Again, the remedies are usually rest, ice, and physical therapy rather than surgery. When overuse is a cause, prevention, of course, includes listening to your body and taking a day or so off when heavy training starts to cause pain or discomfort.
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