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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues
• Specifics

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• Test Your Knowledge

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Patient Handouts

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 your shoulder can be unstable, it can be easily injured. Common problems include:

• Sprains and strains
• Dislocations
• Separations
• Tendinitis
• Bursitis
• Torn rotator cuffs
• Frozen shoulder
• Fractures (broken bones)
• Arthritis

Health care providers diagnose shoulder problems by using your medical history, a physical exam, and imaging tests.

Often, the first treatment for shoulder problems is RICE. This stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Other treatments include exercise and medicines to reduce pain and swelling. If those don't work, you may need surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Start Here

• Shoulder Pain and Common Shoulder Problems (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• Shoulder Problems (Symptom Checker) (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Direct Arthrography (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Musculoskeletal MRI (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Shoulder MRI (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Cortisone Shots (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Joint and Soft Tissue Injections (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Rotator Cuff and Shoulder Rehabilitation Exercises (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - PDF
• Shoulder Arthroscopy (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• Shoulder Joint Replacement (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

Living With

• Rotator Cuff and Shoulder Rehabilitation Exercises (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - PDF

Related Issues

• Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD) (Muscular Dystrophy Association)

Specifics

• Arthritis of the Shoulder (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) Also in Spanish
• Broken Collarbone (Clavicle Fracture) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Chronic Shoulder Instability (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• Clavicle Fracture (Broken Collarbone) (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• Frozen Shoulder (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• Shoulder Instability (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Shoulder Trauma (Fractures and Dislocations) (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• SLAP Tears (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• Tendinitis (Bursitis) (American College of Rheumatology) Also in Spanish

Test Your Knowledge

• Test Your Shoulder Pain Knowledge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Shoulder Dislocation (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Shoulder Fractures (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Shoulder Injuries (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Comparison of endobutton and tendon graft techniques in acromioclavicular joint dislocation:...
• Article: Reverse shoulder arthroplasty versus locking plate fixation for proximal humeral fracture...
• Article: Physical examination tests in the acute phase of shoulder injuries with...
• Shoulder Injuries and Disorders -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Brachial plexopathy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Broken collarbone - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Frozen shoulder (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Frozen shoulder - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Reverse total shoulder replacement - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Shoulder arthroscopy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Shoulder CT scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Shoulder MRI scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Shoulder pain (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Using your shoulder after surgery (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish