While the horse itself provides atremendous component to your

success in the sport, it is the multi-taskingskill of the athlete that adds another layerthat is ultimately responsible for the win.Refer to any image of polo players on theirhorses, and it is hard not to notice thestrength they empower. They use their lowerextremities to balance and hoist themselvesto gain control of the ball, while using theirupper body strength to drive it home. It is awonderment that the human body couldprovide such awe-inspiring dexterity.

Shoulder injuriesamong polo players

It is this wonderment that unfortunately,for many polo players, often leads to injury.While many players experience fruitful andsuccessful careers, many find themselvesretiring early from the sport because of

injury. According to the United States PoloAssociation, for every 100 hours of polo anindividual plays, be it in games or

scrimmages, one can expect an injurysevere enough to see a physician. Amongthe highest percentage of injuries, theshoulder is often affected—accounting formore than 35 percent of injuries reported.

According to Dr. Peter Millett, a shouldersurgeon and sports medicine specialist withthe Steadman Clinic in Vail, CO, “Theshoulder provides the greatest range ofmotion of any joint in the human body andit creates remarkable strength for athletes,especially for polo players where an excessiveamount of pressure is placed on the region.The shoulder essentially acts as a ‘ball andsocket’ and if too much pressure is placed inthis area, or if a harsh impact is made, thejoint can become unstable, which makes itexceptionally vulnerable to injury.”

Given that statement, the highoccurrence of shoulder injuries among poloplayers is no surprise. Many players begin

24 POLO PL AY E R S ED I T I O N

Dr. Peter Millett

The game of polo has

been around for centuries.

Fascinating and captivating

to watch, today it still

attracts loyal followers and

mesmerizes audiences who

witness the parallels of

power between horse and

rider, unified together to

exemplify skill, agility

and strength.

by Kristy M. Theis

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!"#$%&' %& "() '#*)Avoid shoulder injuries to prolong your time in the sport

A polo player’s storyXavier Olazabal knows this story all too

well. He started playing at a very young ageand by his teens was playing at the highestcompetitive level in Mexico. Practicing dailyand participating in games andtournaments weekly put him at higher riskfor injury. Throughout his career, Xavier

would experience multiple injuriesassociated with the sport, but over the years,his shoulder would prove to be his biggestsource of pain. At age 36, he cut down thetime he spent on the field and began to playthe sport only recreationally.

It was in 2010 when Xavier would hangup his polo mallets once and for all. Now asuccessful businessman running a chocolatefactory in Mexico, he was invited to play in atournament in Spain and it was during thegame that Xavier fell from his horse andlanded on his shoulder. The high impact of

the fall contributed to multiple breaks inthe shoulder area and eventually led him toa full shoulder replacement.

“The shoulder area is wide open for aninjury in the sport of polo,” said Xavier. “Formany players, years and years of training canlead to chronic shoulder pain and shoulderinjuries.

“It is also very common to see players fallfrom their horses. Where you land is amystery until you’ve hit the ground. Forme, it was right on my shoulder. I playedthe sport for three generations and I beganto notice a trend where players retire fromthe game earlier than usual. For many,the pain and soreness in the upper body,arm and shoulder area simply become tomuch to bear.”

In Xavier’s case, a destroyed shoulderfrom this traumatic injury lead him toDr. Millett. “The surgery I had after mytournament injury in Spain did notwork,” said Xavier, who had a severefracture of his proximal humerus thatalso injured the rotator cuff andrequired shoulder replacementsurgery. “I visited the SteadmanClinic and Dr. Millett to see whatcould be done. Dr. Millett completelyrebuilt my shoulder, performing areverse shoulder replacementsurgery. I’m finally at a place whereI am no longer experiencingshoulder pain. My range of motionis almost back to normal. I mostlikely will never play another gameof polo because the risk for re-

injury is too significant.”

Most common shoulder injuries and new available treatments

The most common shoulder injuriessuffered from years of polo training includetorn rotator cuffs, impingements,dislocations and subluxations (instability),and degenerative conditions from years andyears of over-use such as arthritis andosteoarthritis. These conditions are causedfrom repetitive motions and years ofvigorous training, as well as from falls andtrauma associated with playing the game.For many players, sharp shoulder pain anda loss of shoulder function and movement

their careers at a very young age, playingrecreationally before reaching thecompetitive level. Years and years of traininglead to repetitive rotation and over-use of theshoulder joint. Over time, as the jointweakens and ligaments are stretched, theshoulder can easily become over-compensated and the joints will essentiallybegin to degenerate. This degeneration isthe cause of pain, soreness and injury forscores of polo players worldwide. In manycases, it is direct trauma to the shoulder areathat will end their careers for good.

POLO PL AY E R S ED I T I O N 2 5

This fall required several shoulder surgeriesand forced Xavier Olazabal to quit polo.

Polo players often land on theirshoulders, damaging the joint.

26 POLO PL AY E R S ED I T I O N

are symptoms of the injuries. According to Dr. Millett, orthopedic

procedures have come a long way in recentyears. “For young polo players, a surgicaltechnique known as Microfracture is onesuch advance that is used to regenerate orheal articular cartilage. It makes it possibleto postpone the degeneration of the jointthat typically leads to osteoarthritis, whichcan delay or eliminate the need for jointreplacement surgery.

“Probably the most promising is the CAM(Comprehensive Arthroscopic Management)procedure, which offers a very precisecombination of surgical techniquesspecifically aimed at treating the major paingenerators in the shoulder. It has beenclinically shown to decrease pain andimprove function and can be performed inyoung, active patients to preserve theirshoulder joints, as well as in older patientswho wish to avoid joint replacementsurgery.”

Shoulder injury preventionAccording to Luis Miguel Basaguren, a

polo player who plays throughout the U.S.,Argentina and Mexico, “Exercising theshoulder muscles in order to strengthenthem is very important in the game of polo.I know of very few polo players that performregular exercise to prevent injuries and this

should be a common practice in this gamebecause it is a high risk sport.”

Basaguren, who suffered a shoulderinjury when he fell from his horse severalyears ago, believes that polo players who donot prepare for injury or those who havetheir injuries poorly treated may be facedwith early retirement from the sport.

Polo players who play competitively orwho spend hours upon hours each weektraining should have routine physicals withan orthopedic specialist to assess theshoulder joint and surrounding areas.Strength training and resistance trainingshould be a weekly activity to help buildendurance and keep the muscle strong.Utilizing resistance bands can be helpful inbuilding up strength in the shoulder areawithout injuring nearby structures or addingstrain to the area.

Before playing in a game or duringpractice, it is essential that a proper warm-upof the shoulder region is performed. This canbe doing by doing stretching exercises and

range-of-motion movements to warm up theentire region.

Whether you are in practice or in agame, it is important to listen to your bodyand pay attention to how your shouldersfeel. Sometimes, taking a necessary breakfrom the sport can heal whatever injurymight exist. For many athletes who push theenvelope too far or ignore the pain,irreversible damage can occur andsurgeries, long rehabs and other problemswill ultimately follow.

Shoulder health is a very importantaspect of life. Even after your polo career isover, you will still have to wash your hair,reach overhead and use strength to openand close doors. Physical therapy may alsobe helpful so that proper exercises andtechniques can be learned andimplemented.

Pay attention to your body and create asafe and healthy prevention plan. This willhelp create a longer career and allow you toplay at your maximum performance.

About the Author: Kristy M. Theis is the editor for eMedical Media and wrote this article exclusively for Polo Players’ Edition magazine.

Dr. Peter J. Millett was interviewed for this feature.

Dr. Peter J. Millett is an orthopedic shoulder surgeon, sports medicine specialist and a partner at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, CO.

Nic Roldan injured his shoulder this winter.He avoided surgery but was out for weeks.

Dr. Millett performs shoulder surgery on a patient. He saysorthopedic procedures have come a long way in recent years.

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