Shoulder Injuries and Disorders Summary Your shoulder joint is composed of three bones: the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone). Your shoulders are the most movable joints in your body. They can also be unstable because the ball of the upper arm is larger than the shoulder socket that holds it. To remain in a stable or normal position, the shoulder must be anchored by muscles, tendons and ligaments. Because the shoulder can be unstable, it is the site of many common problems. They include sprains, strains, dislocations, separations, tendinitis, bursitis, torn rotator cuffs, frozen shoulder, fractures and arthritis. Usually shoulder problems are treated with RICE. This stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Other treatments include exercise, medicines to reduce pain and swelling, and surgery if other treatments don’t work. NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Specifics Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder) American Academy of Family Physicians Clavicle Fracture (Broken Collarbone) American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Dislocated Shoulder Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Frozen Shoulder American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Separated Shoulder Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Shoulder Fractures American Society for Surgery of the Hand Shoulder Instability American Academy of Family Physicians SLAP Tears American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Tendinitis and Bursitis American College of Rheumatology Videos and Tutorials Anatomic Total Shoulder System OR-Live Bankart Repair to Correct Shoulder Instability OR-Live Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty OR-Live Reverse Shoulder Replacement OR-Live Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement OR-Live Shoulder Arthroscopy OR-Live Diagnosis and Tests Arthrography Array MRI of the Musculoskeletal System Array Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Array Shoulder MRI Array Shoulder Pain American Academy of Family Physicians Array Brachial plexopathy Broken collarbone – aftercare Dislocated shoulder – aftercare Frozen shoulder Frozen shoulder – aftercare Shoulder arthroscopy Shoulder CT scan Shoulder joint dislocation Shoulder MRI scan Shoulder pain Shoulder Problems American Academy of Family Physicians Using your shoulder after surgery Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Acromioclavicular Joint Injuries National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Shoulder Dislocation National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Shoulder Fractures National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Shoulder Impingement Syndrome National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Shoulder Injuries National Institutes of Health Treatments and Therapies Cortisone Shots Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Joint and Soft Tissue Injections American Academy of Family Physicians Shoulder Arthroscopy American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Shoulder Joint Replacement American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Related Issues Exercise and Shoulder Pain American College of Sports Medicine Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD) Muscular Dystrophy Association Encyclopedia Fractured clavicle in the newborn Shoulder replacement Shoulder replacement – discharge Shoulder separation – aftercare Shoulder surgery – discharge Using your shoulder after replacement surgery Find an Expert National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Journal Articles Shoulder Injuries and Disorders Living With Rotator Cuff and Shoulder Conditioning Program American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Shoulder Osteoarthritis Treatment (Beyond the Basics) UpToDate Health Check Tools Shoulder Injury DSHI Systems Shoulder Pain (One Shoulder) DSHI Systems Start Here Shoulder Pain and Common Shoulder Problems American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Shoulder Problems National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases What Are Shoulder Problems? National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
