During this session, I spent an hour and a half in the training clinic at Plymouth Argaum Rugby Club, assessing injuries from the previous game. During the game, a player injured their shoulder having to go to the hospital to get it checked out. Our suspicion was that they had dislocated it during one collision and on impact with the group in the second popped the shoulder back into position. However, they had a subluxation which is a dislocation but not fully removed from the socket. A subluxation can occur due to weaknesses in the rotator cuff. If this injury occurs frequently, it can result in needing surgery to stabilize the shoulder needing weeks to recover. As this was the first time this client has experienced this injury, that they are aware of, we can try to stabilize the shoulder through rehabilitation. This can be done through strengthening the rotator cuff muscles using small weights, resistance bands and specific exercises such as side-lying external rotation, having the arm from the elbow up rested on the side of the body and forearm from the elbow to the wrist lifting a weight from the floor to the level of your hip.

high to low rows could also be used ensuring a resistance band is secured just above head height and pulling it towards your chest following the full motion.

Areas for improvement:

During this, if my knowledge of injury was better, I would be able to spot the signs and symptoms of a subluxation such as pain, swelling, displacement, etc. to help improve this. I will revise different injuries and learn the signs and symptoms of these injuries or give me an advantage clinically.