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The shoulders are the most mobile joints in the human body. Because the ball of the humerus is designed to be larger than the shoulder socket
that holds it, the shoulders need to be supported by muscles, tendons, and ligaments
to secure them in a stable or natural position. Since the shoulder can
be unstable, it is often a site for many common complications. Below are 5
common causes of shoulder pain and their associated symptoms.
Rotator Cuff Tear
Rotator cuff tears within the shoulder are a very common
type of shoulder injury. The rotator cuff consists of a set of four
muscles: the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus, the subscapularis, and the teres
minor. All of these muscles are attached to the bones of the
shoulders by tendons, which purspose is to support, stabilize, and grant the arm movement to
move up, down and rotate. The rotator cuff ensures that the arm remains in the
shoulder socket. Damage or injury from an accident or gradual wear and tear can result in inflammation to these essential muscles. A severe injury
can then result in a rotator cuff tear. The common symptoms for a rotator cuff
injury include: aching and weakness in the shoulder while lifting the arm,
swelling and bruising of the area, followed by pain and inflammation.
Frozen Shoulder
Adhesive Capsulitis, best referred to as a frozen shoulder, is
a condition caused when the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint contracts and forms scar tissue, excessively restricting mobility and causing pain on the
shoulder. Frozen shoulder is considered the second most frequent cause of
shoulder pain and discomfort. The cause for this condition still remains
unknown and is often misdiagnosed but, a careful observation of the symptoms of
adhesive capsulitis can help distinguish the condition. The pain associated
with the condition can be described as a dull, aching pain and on occasion, the
pain can extend down the upper area of the arm. The most significant symptom of
a frozen shoulder is shoulder stiffness.
Shoulder Bursitis
Shoulder bursitis is a condition which results in the
inflammation of the bursa in the shoulder joint. A bursa is a fluid-filled sac structure that functions as a cushion between the bones and tendons found
in the human body, and its role is to make movements between the joints smooth as
well as reduce friction. When these sac-like structures become inflamed, it
develops into shoulder bursitis. Shoulder bursitis can occur due to overuse of
the shoulder through an excessive repetition of overhead movements of the arms, due to injury
from a fall, or while lifting heavy objects. The common symptoms for this
condition include: pain and inflammation, swelling, and loss of motion of the
shoulder joint which in turn may also develop into frozen shoulder. Visibly,
shoulder bursitis causes the skin around the affected area to turn red.
Shoulder Tendonitis
Shoulder tendonitis is a condition caused by the inflammation
and swelling of a tendon due to irritation, specifically in the shoulder region.
The tendons are bands of fibrous tissue that attach the muscles to the bones. Rotator
cuff tendonitis, or shoulder tendonitis, is among the most common commonly damaged or injured tendon site. Overusing the shoulder during constant overhand
motions, lifting heavy objects, or direct trauma from an injury to the shoulder
may cause tendonitis. Also, as people age, the tendons lose their elasticity
and fluid content, becoming more prone to irritation. Shoulder tendonitis
symptoms include: pain with increased tissue temperature, swelling, and
redness, followed by inflammation, and tenderness.
Shoulder Fractures
Shoulder fractures can occur in the different bones that
make up the shoulder joint, the humerus (the arm bone), the clavicle (the
collarbone), and the scapula at the glenoid (shoulder blade). In a humerus fracture, injury typically occurs
at the top of the humerus, which makes up the ball of
the ball-and-socket joint in the shoulder. Clavicle fractures are the most
common type of shoulder fracture, occurring on the bone over the top of the
chest. Glenoid fractures, usually considered uncommon, occur at the socket of the
ball-and-socket shoulder joint. And last, scapula fractures, also considered rare, occur on the flat bone that rests behind the rib cage. Shoulder
fractures mainly occur from overuse and trauma from a previous accident. The
symptoms suggesting the presence of a shoulder fracture include pain with
simple shoulder movements, swelling of the shoulder and arm, bruising around
the affected area that may travel down the arm, and joint deformity.
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
