Car accidents a common source of rotator cuff injuries

When you are about to experience a motor vehicle accident in Louisiana, you are likely to grip the steering wheel tightly. Bracing for a crash is a natural physical reaction, but the traumatic forces released at impact could result in a rotator cuff injury in your shoulder. Pedestrians and bicyclists struck by vehicles might endure the same injury after putting their hands out to stop a fall. The results for will be painful. Depending on the extent of the injury, you might need pain medication, anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy or surgery.

Noninvasive shoulder injury treatments

The muscles and tendons that encompass the bones meeting at your shoulder form the rotator cuff that encases the shoulder joint. Damage to the soft tissues creates inflammation that reduces range of motion and leaves you in pain. Initially, your physician may choose to control pain and inflammation with medication in addition to restricted activity. Physical therapy may contribute to your recovery as well.

Cortisone injections and surgery

More severe shoulder injuries may not respond sufficiently to noninvasive treatment. Your physician may prescribe injections of cortisone into the rotator cuff tissues. This drug works as an effective anti-inflammatory, but it could produce the undesirable side effect of weakened shoulder muscles.

In the most challenging cases, a shoulder injury may call for surgery. A surgeon will likely use an arthroscopic technique to limit tissue intrusions. The surgeon will seek to reduce pain by removing bone spurs that are getting in the way of tendons. Although this surgery is minimally invasive, patients can still expect recovery times of two to six months.

Financial losses due to shoulder injury

In the early days after your accident, you might not realize how a torn rotator cuff could impact you financially. Losing range of motion in your shoulder could limit your ability to work. The expenses of ongoing physical therapy or surgery might add up quickly. Once the bills start to arrive, you may want to talk to a personal injury attorney about pursuing compensation.