Common Shoulder Injuries After an Accident in Brooklyn, NY

Around 7.5 million people visit a doctor for a shoulder injury. Many of these injuries are due to trauma caused by auto and work-related accidents.

While you can suffer a variety of shoulder injuries after an accident, some are more common than others. Go over the most common should injuries after an accident, and if you’ve injured your shoulder, visit the doctor immediately. Fast treatment is the key to recovering from an injury.

Rotator Cuff Tear

You might think that only athletes have to worry about rotator cuff tears, but it’s a common shoulder injury after an accident in Brooklyn, NY. Taking a direct blow to your rotator cuff can cause the tendons to tear or completely rupture.

Not only does this injury hurt, but it limits your mobility. Proper treatment is needed to manage the pain and restore the shoulder’s function.

Labral Tear

A labral or shoulder joint tear is also common after an accident. This injury occurs when the tissue that keeps your humerus in place is torn, often due to direct trauma.

If you suffer from a shoulder joint tear, you’ll likely feel a sharp pain when you reach upward. Your shoulder will catch, lock, and pop, and it will feel weak and unstable. You’ll also notice that your range of motion is reduced from this injury.

Failing to treat the injury could cause it to become much worse to the point of being debilitating.

Brachial Plexus Nerve Injury

If you’ve been in an accident, you might suffer a brachial plexus traumatic nerve injury. The brachial plexus refers to the nerves that send signals to the hands, arms, and shoulders.

Trauma and pain from a Brooklyn car accident can cause the nerves to contract, pull, or rupture. The injury can also cause the nerves to rip away from the spinal cord. Symptoms include numbness, weakness, pain, and loss of feeling, and can even lead to paralysis.

Fortunately, medical advancements have improved treatment outcomes for these nerve injuries. While it’s frightening to suffer from a nerve injury, the proper treatment can put you on the road to recovery.

Fractures

Fractures can also be quite serious and painful. Broken bones occur after taking a direct blow to your shoulder during a car accident or fall. While proximal humerus and clavicle fractures are the most common, you can also fracture your scapula. The chest and surrounding muscles protect your scapula, so this will only happen if your shoulder takes a great deal of trauma, such as during a high-speed automobile accident. 

Broken scapulas only represent 1 percent of all fractures each year, but they are also the most serious of the shoulder fractures. If you have a broken scapula, you can expect to experience a great deal of pain before undergoing treatment.

Seeking Help for a Shoulder Injury

Suffering from an injury is frightening, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Seek immediate help from a Brooklyn medical clinic that specializes in work and auto accident injuries. The right treatment will get you back on your feet quickly so you can get back to your healthy life.

Call (718) 769-2521 to schedule your appointment to see an experienced doctor to treat your shoulder injury today. Same-day appointments may be available. We accept most major medical insurance plans, workers’ compensation, medical liens, and no-fault insurance.