Both shoulder and running injuries can occur because of excessive exercise or motion; sometimes, running itself is the cause of a shoulder injury. When you run, you use the same muscles every time. These muscles become tired and possibly even strained, which leads to injury.
The same can be said for activities that repeatedly engage the shoulder. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, excessive over-the-head movement leads to many shoulder injuries. The best way to treat both running and shoulder injuries is rest; this allows your muscles time to recuperate.
Shin Splints
This injury occurs on the front side of the shin, towards the inside of the leg. It is often caused by friction being continually applied when the bone and muscle rub together. According to Sports Injury Clinic, symptoms may include pain, swelling and sometimes even lumps or redness on the shin. Some common treatments include, resting, ice and supportive shoes.
Side Stitch
When you experience a side stitch during running, the pressure increases in your stomach, forcing it to press up against your diaphragm. At the same time, your breathing quickens, which causes your lungs to push down on your diaphragm. The pressure applied to the diaphragm creates a pain in your abdomen known as the side stitch.
According to the book "Symptoms: Their Causes & Cures: How to Understand and Treat 265 Health Concerns," a side stitch can occasionally be felt in the shoulder. A few moves that can improve a side stitch include slowing down and breathing through your nose, stretching towards the sky and eating fatty foods before a workout.
Rotator Cuff Injuries
Your shoulder contains a rotator cuff, a combination of tendons and muscles that connect the joint of the shoulder. Often times, the rotator cuff can be torn or injured by moving the shoulder above the head or falling on your shoulder. If you injure your rotator cuff, rehabilitative exercises and anti-inflammatory medicine are often prescribed.
Separated Shoulder
A separated shoulder occurs when the bones in the shoulder move either fully or partially out of place. When your shoulder becomes separated, the top of the humerous bone often is the first thing to move out of place. This bone allows other bones to move out of socket, leading to a separated shoulder.
The best ways to cure a separated shoulder include rest, ice and exercises; sometimes even surgery is necessary. Strenuous activities such as running should be avoided when your have a separated shoulder.
