How serious is a supraspinatus tendon injury for a football player?

For amateur football enthusiasts, especially workers and office staff, getting injured is considered a "common occurrence." However, not everyone is aware of the severity of each type of injury.

Supraspinatus tendon injury is a common injury that many amateur football players overlook - Photo: THANH DINH

One injury often overlooked by amateur football players, yet capable of causing serious long-term consequences affecting mobility and quality of life, is a supraspinatus tendon injury in the shoulder.

According to Dr. Hoang Minh Ngoc, Specialist in Joint Surgery and Sports Medicine, Military Central Hospital 108 - a partner of the Vietnam Workers and Civil Servants Football Tournament,

"The reason supraspinatus tendon injuries are often underestimated is because many people think football is a sport that primarily uses the legs." Few realize that collisions, falls, or sudden arm movements can also cause serious shoulder injuries.

The supraspinatus tendon and its "key" role in the shoulder joint.

The supraspinatus tendon is one of the four tendons of the rotator cuff muscles, playing a crucial role in stabilizing the shoulder joint. It allows us to perform arm lifting and rotation movements with flexibility.

In football, strong collisions, falls where you brace yourself with your hands, or sudden shoulder rotations are the leading causes of supraspinatus tendon injuries.

Dr. Ngoc explained: "During a collision, when the shoulder hits the ground, or when falling and bracing oneself with the hand, the sudden impact can cause inflammation, partial tearing, or even complete rupture of the supraspinatus tendon." This is a common type of shoulder injury in football, alongside shoulder dislocations or clavicle fractures.

Warning signs

Supraspinatus tendon injuries often present with clear symptoms, but these are easily mistaken for common shoulder pain. Patients should pay attention to warning signs such as a dull, deep aching pain in the shoulder, especially if the pain worsens at night or when lying on the side of the injured shoulder.

Along with the pain comes a noticeable weakening of the arm, making it difficult for patients to perform simple daily tasks such as brushing their hair, dressing, or reaching for objects overhead.

Shoulder mobility is also significantly restricted, especially when raising the arm high or moving it sideways. In severe cases, patients may be unable to raise their arm on their own. Sometimes, patients may also hear crackling or popping sounds coming from the shoulder joint when moving it.

Level of danger and potential complications

Many people tend to be complacent, assuming that shoulder pain is just due to a minor impact and will heal on its own. However, Dr. Ngoc warns: "If not diagnosed and treated promptly, damage to the supraspinatus tendon can lead to many dangerous complications."

Prolonged inflammation can cause frozen shoulder syndrome, leading to stiffness in the shoulder joint and severely reducing range of motion. Furthermore, untreated tendon tears can widen, resulting in loss of shoulder function or even paralysis. In the long term, this can cause shoulder osteoarthritis, muscle atrophy, and significantly impact work and daily life.

Diagnosis and treatment

To accurately diagnose supraspinatus tendon injury, doctors will rely on clinical symptoms and may order additional imaging methods such as ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess the extent of the tendon tear.

Amateur football players often pay little attention to injuries that have no obvious symptoms - Photo: NAM TRAN

Depending on the diagnosis, a treatment plan will be devised. For minor tears or tendonitis, conservative treatment is usually preferred, including rest, ice application, and the use of anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications as prescribed by a doctor, combined with physical therapy exercises for rehabilitation.

However, in cases of complete tendon rupture or when conservative treatment is ineffective, arthroscopic repair of the rotator cuff tendons will be indicated. This is a minimally invasive method that allows patients to recover quickly and return to their daily activities sooner.

Expert advice

To minimize the risk of supraspinatus tendon injuries in particular, and shoulder injuries in general, Dr. Ngoc offers some helpful advice for amateur football players:

Warm up thoroughly before the match: Always take time to thoroughly warm up your joints, especially your shoulders, to heat up and increase muscle flexibility.

Learn proper falling technique: Avoid putting your hands directly on the ground when falling. Instead, learn to roll to reduce the impact on your shoulders.

Strengthen your shoulder muscles: Perform supplementary exercises to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles and the muscles surrounding the shoulder blade.

Do not compete when you are too tired: A tired body will reduce reflexes and increase the risk of injury.

See a doctor if you experience any unusual symptoms : If you experience any pain or limited mobility in your shoulder, you should immediately go to a specialized medical facility for examination and timely treatment to avoid unfortunate complications.

Supraspinatus tendon injury is not a simple injury. Having sufficient knowledge and awareness of prevention will help amateur football players, such as factory workers and office workers, pursue their passion safely and sustainably.

The 2025 Vietnam Workers and Civil Servants Football Tournament is jointly organized by Tuoi Tre Newspaper , the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor , and the Vietnam Football Federation. This is the third consecutive year the tournament has been held.

The 2025 tournament is sponsored by Truong Hai Group Joint Stock Company (THACO), Dong Luc Sports Group, HTP Pharmaceutical Investment Joint Stock Company, Hoa Sen Group Joint Stock Company, Sunshine Group, Saigon Water Supply Corporation (SAWACO), Faslink Joint Stock Company, Military Central Hospital 108, Military Hospital 175, and several other businesses.

The Northern regional qualifiers took place from October 3rd to 5th at the Hanoi University of Technology stadium, determining the 6 teams that qualified for the national finals, including the champion, the People's Police Union.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ton-thuong-gan-co-tren-gai-dang-ngai-the-nao-voi-nguoi-da-bong-2025100715440661.htm