SHOULDER CONDITIONS

A shoulder separation is also known as a acromioclavicular joint separation.  This injury often results from a fall directly onto the shoulder.

The long head of the biceps crosses the shoulder (glenohumeral) joint and is often inflamed.  This often manifests as anterior (front) shoulder pain.

The rotator cuff consists of 4 muscles, which are vital to shoulder motion and function.  Tearing of the rotator cuff tendons can cause pain and/or weakness.

Shoulder arthritis is also known as glenohumeral arthritis.  This is when the ball and socket of the shoulder are no longer smooth and congruent.  This often causes pain and decreased range of motion.

The shoulder is a ball-on-socket joint.  A shoulder dislocation is when the ball (humeral head) come out of the socket (glenoid).

The shoulder consists of the proximal humerus (ball), glenoid/scapula (socket) and clavicle.  With trauma (such as a fall), any of these bones can be fractured (broken).

The shoulder blade (scapula) is a key component of shoulder motion and function.  When there is an imbalance of the peri-scapular muscles, this can cause the scapula to wing.  This typically manifests with both pain and abnormal motion.

When the rotator cuff is imbalanced, the shoulder can impinge (pinch) under the acromion, which results in pain with shoulder motion.

A frozen shoulder is also known as adhesive capsulitis.  This is when the tissues within the shoulder get inflamed and thickened, resulting in decreased range of motion.  This can occurs from a minor injury or after surgery.

The labrum lines the glenoid (socket) and provides shoulder stability.  A labral tear (a SLAP tear is a superior labral tear) can result in shoulder instability and/or pain.

The clavicle attaches at the acromioclavicular (AC) joint and the sternocostal (SC) joint.  With trauma, the SC joint can dislocate and become unstable.

The shoulder blade (scapula) glides over the chest wall, if the tissue (bursa) between the scapula and chest wall becomes inflamed, this can result in a painful snap under the shoulder blade.