Racquetball is a fast-paced sport often played in health clubs. Two to four players can play at a time. The court consists of a floor, ceiling and four walls, and players will use all during a game. Players use a racquet and a ball and work to keep the ball going. Using the racquet involves heavy use of the shoulder and can cause injuries. Shoulder problems brought 7.5 million people to their doctor's office in 2006, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Rotator Cuff Tears
The rotator cuff, made up of several tendons and four muscles, allows the arm to rotate and keeps the head of the upper arm bone in place. Overuse of the tendons and muscles over a long period is the most common cause of a rotator cuff tear, but a single traumatic injury may be all it takes. Repetitive overhead motions commonly required in tennis, racquetball, badminton, baseball, rowing and weight lifting put you at the most risk. Symptoms often include shoulder muscle thinning, weakness when trying to rotate or lift your arm, pain when you lift or lower your arm and a crackling sensation when you are trying to move your shoulder, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Subacromial Bursitis
The supraspinatus muscle is located along your upper shoulder blade and inserts at your upper arm bone with a tendon. It is responsible for allowing you to lift your arm up at your side and plays a major role in throwing. There is a bursa above the tendon and this can become inflamed and painful if trapped in the shoulder. Overusing the shoulder, especially when above your head, is the most common cause. Symptoms may include pain and weakness when lifting your arm and pain when applying pressure to the inner area of the front of the arm, according to the Sports Injury Clinic.
Impingement Syndrome
This condition occurs when the rotator cuff tendons become pinched. A secondary cause of this condition is overuse. You may experience gradual pain in your shoulder, pain on internal movements, and pain when lifting your arm, according to the Sports Injury Clinic.
Subscapularis Muscle Inflammation
This muscle is located underneath your shoulder blade and it attaches to the front side of your upper arm. It is responsible for allowing the arm to rotate inward. Throwing the arm is the most common cause of injury. You may experience pain with movement, pain when raising the arm higher than the shoulder, pain when applying pressure to the tendon insertion and pain when moving the arm inward with resistance, according to the Sports Injury Clinic.
References
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Common Shoulder Injuries
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Rotator Cuff Tears
- Sports Injury Clinic: Subacromial Bursitis
- Sports Injury Clinic: Impingement Syndrome (Swimmer's Shoulder / Thrower's Shoulder)
- Sports Injury Clinic: Inflammation of the Subscapularis Muscle
