Therapy
The most important thing in acute ligament stretching is to protect the joint. No large movements should be made and no heavy loads should be lifted. If a ligament stretching has occurred during the course of training, it should be stopped immediately.
The shoulder joint should be cooled by wrapping it in cold water or ice. Care must be taken that the ice does not lie directly on the skin, as this can lead to frostbite. Cooling counteracts severe swelling of the joint.
In the acute phase, depending on the pain, it may also be necessary to take pain-relieving medication. However, the severe pain should subside after a few days and the medication should no longer be needed. Depending on the extent of the stretching, the doctor decides whether it is necessary for the patient to wear a splint. If the shoulder ligament is stretched, a loop is then used into which the forearm can be inserted and thus worn. The shoulder, especially the ligaments, are thus relieved and the healing process is supported.
Complications
If the shoulder joint is not protected enough after a ligament stretching, the symptoms may return. In the long term, this can lead to instability of the joint. If these symptoms persist over a long period of time, it can promote the development of arthrosis. This topic may also be of interest to you: Torn ligament of the shoulder
Prophylaxis
Ligament stretching cannot be prevented, even though many precautions are taken, especially during sports. Long warming up and stretching reduces the risk of ligament stretching, but it is often the result of sudden, extreme movement that is not anticipated. Even long stretching cannot prevent this overload.
It is important to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint. This means that the ligaments are supported and relieved in their holding function by the muscles. In this way, the risk of injury from ligament stretching can be reduced, as the muscles can cushion the violent movements and reduce the tension on the ligaments.
Forecast
Normally, the healing process of a ligament stretching takes about one to two weeks with sufficient protection. During this time, the shoulder should be cooled regularly and high loads, such as heavy carrying, should be avoided. Sports activities should also be avoided.
If long and heavy loads and training are avoided for a while, even after the swelling has subsided and painless, the ligament stretching of the shoulder has a good prognosis and heals without further complaints. The phase until the full load can be resumed is about four to six weeks. However, the load should be increased slowly, as otherwise the complaints can recur and are often even worse than when they first appeared.
