Shoulder Conditions

The rotator cuff is a group of tendons in the shoulder joint providing support and enabling a wide range of motion. Major injury to these tendons may result in tear of these tendons, a condition called rotator cuff tear. It is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain in middle aged adults and older individuals.

Impingement, bursitis, tendonitis, are all different words for the same underlying problem. The subacromial space is the space below the end of the shoulder blade (acromion) and top of the humeral head. Under normal circumstances, it is occupied by the rotator cuff which is a quarter of an inch thick and a bursa

Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is an inflammatory disorder of the shoulder that causes fibrosis (scarring) of the joint capsule leading to pain and loss of motion. The capsule of the shoulder is normally a very thin, elastic layer of tissue that forms the wall of the joint and assists with shoulder stability.

The shoulder has the greatest motion of any joint in our body. The price it pays for this great mobility is that it is also the joint most at risk of dislocation. There are different degrees of instability. When the shoulder just partially comes out of socket but not completely, this is termed subluxation.

Motion thru the glenohumeral joint (ball and socket) is accomplished by a fine equilibrium created by the muscles that surround the shoulder. This equilibrium is largely created by the deltoid and rotator cuff. The deltoid is the large triangular muscle that is palpable on the side of one’s arm.

The acromioclavicular joint is part of the shoulder joint. It is formed by the union of the acromion, a bony process of the shoulder blade, and the outer end of the collar bone or clavicle. The joint is lined by cartilage that gradually wears with age as well as with repeated overhead or shoulder level activities such as basketball.

The clavicle or the collarbone is the bone that connects your sternum or breastbone to your shoulder. Clavicle fracture, also called broken collarbone is a very common sports injury seen in people who are involved in contact sports such as football and martial arts as well as impact sports such as motor racing.

Calcific cuff tendinopathy is a problem with the shoulder’s tendons and muscles. This condition occurs due to the formation of calcium deposits in the tendons (tissue which attaches muscle to bone) of the rotator cuff (group of muscles and tendons stabilizing the shoulder). This calcium build-up causes inflammation of the tissues surrounding it, and intense shoulder pain.

Playing more overhead sports and repeated use of the shoulder at the workplace may lead to sliding of the upper arm bone, the ball portion, from the glenoid–the socket portion of the shoulder. The dislocation might be a partial dislocation (subluxation) or a complete dislocation causing pain and shoulder joint instability.

Bicipital tendonitis is the inflammation of the biceps tendon, the tissue that connects muscle to bone in your upper arm, causing pain in the upper arm and shoulder. It is more common in men in the age group of 40 to 60 years and occurs during many sports activities like tennis, baseball, weightlifting and kayaking where overhead movement is involved.

The term arthritis literally means inflammation of a joint but is generally used to describe any condition in which there is damage to the cartilage. Damage of the cartilage in the shoulder joint causes shoulder arthritis. Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury.

A break in a bone that makes up the shoulder joint is called a shoulder fracture. The clavicle and end of the humerus closest to the shoulder are the bones that usually get fractured. The scapula on the other hand is not easily fractured because of its protective cover by the surrounding muscles and chest tissue.