Western Orthopaedics - Shoulder

The shoulder is a truly amazing joint, with more range of motion than any joint in the body. The shoulder controls the position of the arm in space, powered and stabilized by the rotator cuff muscles/tendons and surrounding deltoid, pectoralis, latissimus major, and other muscles. The shoulder is attached to the rest of the torso via the collarbone and scapula which rests with it's musculature on the back of the rib cage. Because of its remarkable range of movement, the shoulder is also the joint in the body most prone to instability (dislocation).

Shoulder pain also arises from a variety of causes with the most common ones listed below.

Common Conditions of the Shoulder:

Doctors that specialize in this area:

• Impingment

  Pain in the shoulder is often caused by subacromial impingement: “pinching” of the rotator cuff and biceps tendon by the “roof” (acromion process) of the shoulder.

• Acromio-Clavicular (AC) Sprain

  One of the most common impact injuries to the shoulder is an acromio-clavicular (AC) sprain, or separation.

• Acromio-Clavicular (AC) Arthritis

  A common cause of shoulder pain in weight lifters and patients with rotator cuff tears is arthritis of the acromio-clavicular (AC) joint.

• Rotator Cuff (RTC) Tear

  Tears of the rotator cuff of the shoulder are one of the most common causes of shoulder pain and weakness.

• Shoulder Arthritis

  Motion of the shoulder joint depends on slick surfaces of the ball and saucer joint that glide on each other without friction.

• Biceps Instability/Tendonitis

  The biceps muscle has a tendon that passes into the shoulder joint and attaches to the top of the socket.

• Clavicle Fracture

  One of the most common fractures in the shoulder occurs over the middle of the clavicle, or collarbone.

• Shoulder Dislocations/Instability

  Sporting injuries can result in shoulder dislocations and instability. The ball of the shoulder rotates off of the socket, often becoming stuck in the front, back, or bottom of the shoulder joint.