Can anyone take a guess as to what is wrong with my shoulder?!
Question:
Can anyone take a guess as to what is wrong with my shoulder?
I typically avoid playing sports. However, I discovered racquetball and loved it so I joined a league and played about once a week for a year or so. At some point my shoulder started hurting. As the weeks progressed, the pain would last longer and longer, until it would hurt for almost the entire week leading up to the next game. There was no moment while playing where I can recall hitting a wall too hard or any sort of sudden "YEOW!!!" moment. I took a break for a couple of weeks, yet when i came back it hurt within a couple of swings. I went to a family physician and he guessed it was probably tendinitis. I went to my college's trainer, who looked at it very briefly and guessed tendinitis as well. I then quit the league, and probably hadn't played in a month until I played a casual tennis games with some friends, leading to pain within the first swing. I don't think it's tendinitis. Keep in mind, I almost NEVER played sports my entire life and I'm only 24 years old.
Answers:
I would guess either Rotator cuff dysfunction with a possible small tear, a labral tear, or impingment.
Explanation: Rotator cuff dysfunction is like tendinitis of one or more of the shoulder muscles and can result from either overuse or misuse. The muscle is inflammed and probably a little frayed. It can sometimes calm down with rest but may require physical therapy or worst case scenario - surgery.
A labral tear is a disruption of the ring of cartilage (labrum) around the socket part of the ball and socket joint of the shoulder. It can be degenerative (happened over a period of time) or traumatic (happened suddenly). This won't get better with rest or therapy, usually only surgery.
Impingement is kinda like the precursor to rotator cuff problems. The canal where one of the muscles passes is small and causing the muscle and bursa (fluid filled sack that reduces friction) to get irritated. This can improve with therapy or a steroid injection.
I recommend seeing a Primary Care Sports Physician or an Orthopedist.