13 Best Men's Big & Tall Athletic Socks

Bestselling Men's Big & Tall Athletic Socks in 2022

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Rotator Cuff Injury and the High School Athlete

With millions of teenagers participating in high school athletic programs, understanding the prevention and treatment of rotator cuff injuries will ensure your teenager remains healthy during the school year.

At this time of the year, many teenagers are diligently working through high school athletic programs. Off season work outs are coupled with off season games, then comes the regular season and high performance mandated by peer pressure. For some high school athletes, the peer pressure to perform well may attribute to an overuse injury or damage to the upper body, specifically the rotator cuff of the shoulder. As parents, understanding what the rotator cuff is, how it impacts athletic performance, symptoms of rotator cuff injury and treatment options, will ensure your high school athlete is on the fast road to recovery following a rotator cuff injury or complication.

The rotator cuff is a sort of shell or cup like covering which lies over the shoulder joint as a protective guard against shoulder injury. In addition to protection, the rotator cuff also improves stability and strength of the shoulder and upper body during physically exerting activities. Commonly injured during athletic activity, the rotator cuff is easily damaged through such activities as repetitive arm motion, lifting and throwing, especially common in sports such as baseball and basketball.

Symptoms of rotator cuff injury, in the high school athlete, may include loss of range of motion in the shoulder, regular pain with or without lifting and pain which worsens with rest or into the evening. With these symptoms, parents of the high school athelete, may opt to perform several "at-home" remedies also known as a "watch and see" approach. In doing so, the condition may heal, slowly or may not heal at all. For this reason, it is highly recommended that a "watch and see" approach only be performed when under the direction of a physician.

As states, treatment options for a rotator cuff tear vary from a conservative approach of "watch and see" to an approach recommending surgery. For most teenage athletes, the rotator cuff will heal with time and with the appropriate rest and anti-inflammatory medications. When not successful, teenage athletes may require a therapeutic approach in which a sports therapist will provide regular therapeutic massage, heat application and will instruct the teenage athlete in the method for performing at home exercises. Unfortunately, when therapy and anti-inflammatories do not heal or improve the rotator cuff tear, parents may opt for a surgical consulation with an orthopaedic surgeon. When visiting an orthopaedic surgeon, it is important to remember the surgeon may opt for a series of steroid injections to improve the stability and strength the damaged tissue in lieu of surgery consideration.

When injections and rest do not improve the rotator cuff injury, in your teenage athlete, the surgeon may then opt for surgical repair. With various surgical options available, the orthopaedic surgeon will choose the method most appropriate based on the location and type of rotator cuff injury involved. What is important to understand is that approximately 10 percent of all surgical repairs do not improve the rotator cuff symptoms. With this in mind, it is imperative that parents are educated in the surgical options recommended by the orthopaedic surgeon. When rotator cuff surgery is successful, the teenage athlete will report a significant decrease in pain, decreased stiffness and an improvement in range of motion. Following surgery, however, the teenage athlete will be required to use a sling from four to six weeks followed by many weeks of sports therapy and rehabilitation.

As parents of a teenage athlete, understanding the implication proper body mechanics will have on the prevention of injuries is imperative. In combination with school coaches, parents of the high school athlete should encourage proper strength training as well as rest and relaxation. When faced with a teenager who is suffering from a rotator cuff injury, encourage self treatment, such as rest and anti-inflammatories, in an effort to avoid surgical repair. For more information regarding rotator cuff injury, visit www.scoi.com.