Anatomy

The shoulder region is complex because of how it interacts with multiple parts of the body at the same time. in fact, it’s rare for only one muscle in the shoulder girdle to work in isolation. The shoulder girdle is composed of four joints:
  1. Glenohumeral (GH) joint
  2. Scapulothoracic joint
  3. Acromioclavicular (AC) joint
  4. Sternoclavicular (SC) joint
The GH joint is a ball-and-socket joint that connects the humerus (arm) to the scapula (shoulder blade). Connective tissue called the labrum (similar to the hip joint) creates a protective seal around this joint as well as other ligaments before being reinforced by the four rotator cuff muscles:
  1. Supraspinatus muscle
  2. Infraspinatus muscle
  3. Teres minor muscle
  4. Subscapularis muscle
Since the shoulder joint is designed to have more mobility compared to its analogous hip joint, it has a very shallow cavity (glenoid fossa). This makes the joint more susceptible to overuse injuries and dislocations unlike the hip joint, which has a deeper cavity (acetabulum) making the joint more stable.
shoulder anatomy

Common Causes Of Shoulder Pain

The many moving parts and design of the shoulder girdle makes it susceptible to traumatic and overuse injuries. Falling on an outstretched hand (FOOSH) is one of the most common ways to sustain a traumatic shoulder injury. Many overuse injuries are caused by repetitive movement with poor positioning or posture.

Other causes of shoulder pain include:

  • Shoulder impingement syndrome
  • Rotator cuff tendonitis/tendonosis
  • Bicipital tendonitis
  • Rotator cuff tears
  • SLAP tears
  • Bankart lesion
  • AC sprains/separations
  • Hypermobility
  • Adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder)
  • And more

Common symptoms include:

  • Difficulty reaching out to the side or over head
  • Clicking/popping with movement
  • Instability or feeling like your shoulder is “shifting” around
  • Swelling or stiffness
  • Pain (aching, sharp, dull)
  • Weakness
  • Difficulty with dressing/undressing

How Physical Therapy Helps You

Shoulder pain can really limit your ability to work, sleep, and enjoy your hobbies. Your symptoms can be local (within the shoulder), referred pain from a muscle, or radiate from the neck. A physical therapist can evaluate you to determine the cause of your symptoms to help manage pain, improve mobility, and restore strength.

Following the initial evaluation, your physical therapist will determine and discuss the cause of your pain or issues. Together, you and your physical therapist will set goals specific to your needs and create a plan of care. Your plan of care will help you accomplish your goals and get you back to what you enjoy doing!

Living with pain does not have to be your new norm. Contact us to get a free phone consult and schedule an initial appointment if you’re suffering from shoulder pain.

physical therapist giving massage
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