You don’t realize just how much you move your shoulder until it hurts – and then it can be all you think about. Fortunately, an orthopedic specialist can provide a diagnosis for shoulder injuries and treatment options.
Your shoulder is the most movable joint in the human body, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. There is a drawback to all this mobility, though – the National Institutes of Health says that shoulder pain is one of the most common orthopedic problems in the nation.
Shoulder injuries are often the result of athletic activities that involve putting your arms over your head, such as tennis, weight lifting, and pitching, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
How Does My Shoulder Work?
A joint is a moveable point where two or more bones meet. Three bones make up the shoulder joint:
- Scapula – shoulder blade
- Clavicle – collar bone
- Humerus – upper arm bone
The shoulder actually has two joints. The main joint connects your upper arm bone to your shoulder blade. It is a ball and socket joint, which means the ball-shaped end of one bone fits inside a cup-shaped end of another bone. The ball rolls, slides, and spins within the socket, which allows you to move your arm in almost every direction. Doctors refer to this as the glenohumeral joint.
The other joint, known as the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, connects your collarbone to your shoulder blade. The joint is small and provides very little motion on its own – but it is important because your arm “hangs” from the AC joint.
A complex configuration of connective tissue holds your shoulder joint in place and helps it move smoothly. Ligaments hold the bones of the joint together, for example. A rim of cartilage, known as the labrum, pads the ends of your bones to protect the shoulder joint. Tendons connect muscles to bones to create a moveable joint.
A special membrane, known as a joint capsule, encloses your shoulder joint. The capsule seals the joint space and provides stability by limiting the amount of movement in your shoulder. The joint capsule is highly sensitive, which means you can experience pain if you injure the joint capsule of your shoulder.
The rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles, which surround your shoulder joint. Its job is to hold the top of your upper arm bone (humerus) in the socket of your shoulder blade.
Most Common Shoulder Injuries
Because the shoulder is complex and highly moveable, it is vulnerable to injury. A number of conditions, such as arthritis, can affect the shoulder. You can also injure your shoulder several different ways, including sprains and strains, which you can take care of at home. Other injuries require the attention of an orthopedic doctor. Each presents its own signs and symptoms, and responds to different treatments.
Shoulder instability
Shoulder instability occurs when the joint capsule, ligaments, or labrum stretch or tear in ways that allow the shoulder joint to slip out of place. Signs and symptoms of shoulder instability include repeated dislocated shoulder, pain, a loose or hanging feeling in your shoulder.
Treatment for shoulder instability starts with resting your shoulder. Your orthopedic doctor may recommend wearing a sling or shoulder brace until the pain and swelling subside, and then participating in gentle exercise and physical therapy to strengthen your shoulder and improve mobility. Surgery may be necessary only if your shoulder is still loose or unstable after a full course of physical therapy.
Rotator cuff tear
You might tear your rotator cuff if you fall on an outstretched arm. Degeneration, or breakdown, of the connective tissue in your rotator cuff over time can also cause a tear.
Signs and symptoms include:
- Shoulder pain that keeps coming back, especially when you raise your arm above your head
- A dull shoulder ache that gets worse at night; the pain may even prevent you from sleeping on the affected side
- Limited mobility or muscle weakness in the affected arm
- Cracking sounds or a grating sensation when you move your arm
Partial tears can generally heal without surgery. Non-surgical treatments include stretching to prevent stiffness, applying ice packs several times each day, pain medications, and steroid injections to reduce inflammation.
Orthopedic surgeons often use arthroscopy to treat rotator cuff tears. To perform arthroscopy, the surgeon inserts a thin tube into the shoulder. A camera attached to the tube allows the surgeon to see the structures inside your shoulder on a high-definition video monitor. Your doctor can also insert small tools through the tube to repair torn tissue.
Shoulder impingement syndrome
An irritated rotator cuff can lead to shoulder impingement syndrome. Treatment includes rest, ice, oral pain relievers, steroid injections, and physical therapy. Surgical treatment using arthroscopy can help resolve shoulder impingement syndrome that does not respond to other treatments.
Clearwater and Palm Harbor Orthopedic Surgeons Offer Diagnoses for Shoulder Injuries and Treatments for Shoulder Injuries
Our orthopedic surgeons offer a wide variety of treatments for shoulder injuries in Clearwater and Palm Harbor, FL. We also offer arthroscopy in Pinellas County, Florida.