Tyler Johnson's Shoulder Injection - Is This
The Fix For Shoulder Pain?
by Dr. Kareem Samhouri author of Double Edged Fat Loss

It is not uncommon to hear about athletes that receive cortisone shots for tendinitis, inflammation, and other injuries most often related to the shoulder, knee, or spine. Cortisone shots are steroids that numb pain and greatly reduce inflammation. They are a great temporary solution for pain, and a means to help people return to enough activity to heal. In the case of the athlete, it's more complicated.

Many athletes suffer from injuries that may sideline them for weeks, months, or even full seasons. When push comes to shove, it's hard to 'sit out,' watch your team losing, and sometimes even suffer without pay during the entire process. Job security is based upon performance, even if your injury isn't held against you, you have less total performances to 'show your stuff' and make a splash. Making a decision to 'return to play' as fast as possible, rather than focusing on the long-term consequences of an action, is increasingly difficult as today's athletes get better and better at what they do.

Physical Therapy and Orthopedic literature suggest that cortisone shots are safe up to three times, although individual sources do differ a bit. Some sources say three times in a lifetime; others say three times in a year. Regardless, it is known that the removal of inflammation through steroid use also results in tissue breakdown, specifically ligaments, cartilage, and surrounding joint capsules. Scary stuff, right?

Matthew Leach, of MLB.com, quoted Mr. Johnson to have said:

"It wasn't going as planned, so the next step was to do this," Johnson said. "Hopefully this will knock out the inflammation and whatever is in there and I'll be throwing soon. I'm getting antsy."

Clearly, Tyler Johnson is feeling the social and possibly financial pressures discussed above. Whether this cortisone shot breaks down the ligaments surrounding his shoulder or not, it certainly is not healing his rotator cuff tendinitis. Only through proper rest and exercise will he be able to have long-term success with his shoulder.

More Articles By Dr. Kareem Samhouri

Return to the Workout Articles Archive