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Shoulder pain can be caused by a minor injury, bad posture or an underlying health condition.
Conditions that can cause shoulder pain include:
Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a painful persistent stiffness of the shoulder joint that makes it very difficult to carry out the full range of normal shoulder movements.
Frozen shoulder occurs when there is thickening, swelling and tightening of the flexible tissue that surrounds your shoulder joint. This leaves less space for your upper arm bone (humerus) in the shoulder joint, and makes movement stiff and painful.
You may find it difficult to carry out everyday tasks such as dressing, driving and sleeping comfortably. Some people are unable to move their shoulder at all.
The symptoms of frozen shoulder can vary greatly, but tend to advance slowly. They are usually felt in three stages spread over a number of months or years.
Read more detailed information about the symptoms of frozen shoulder.
Most cases of frozen shoulder occur in people over the age of 40.
The exact cause of frozen shoulder is not fully understood. However, there are several risk factors that make developing frozen shoulder more likely. These include:
Read more information about the causes of frozen shoulder.
The rotator cuff is the group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint. Tendons are the tough, rubbery cords that link muscles to bones.
The rotator cuff keeps the joint in the correct position, allowing it to move in a controlled way.
Different types of rotator cuff disorder can cause different symptoms, but common features include:
The different types of rotator cuff disorders and their slightly different causes are explained below.
Rotator cuff tendonitis and bursitis are usually the result of irritation and inflammation caused by a shoulder injury or overuse of the shoulder.
For example, these conditions may affect someone whose job involves a lot of overhead lifting, or an athlete who competes in throwing sports, such as the javelin or discus.
If there is any kind of injury to the shoulder joint, the tendons or bursa may become inflamed. This means there is less space within the joint for the tendons and muscles to move.
If the tendons, muscles or surrounding tissue become trapped between the bones in the shoulder, any repeated movement will irritate them.
Tendonitis and bursitis often occur together. When the tendons or bursa are trapped between the bones it is often known as "impingement syndrome".
If the tendon is repeatedly scraped against the shoulder bones, it can gradually weaken and will sometimes tear.
A torn muscle or tendon will cause severe pain and possible weakness in your arm and shoulder. Some people may also feel a popping sensation when they move their shoulder.
Tendon tears are most common in people aged over 40. Tears that affect younger people are usually caused by an accident. In older people, tears are often caused by impingement syndrome.
It is estimated around half of people over the age of 60 may have partial or complete rotator cuff tears. This is because your tendons become weaker as you get older.
The term "rotator cuff syndrome" is used to describe any type of damage to tendons in the rotator cuff, including complete tears.
The shoulder joint is a ball and socket joint. The top of your upper arm bone (humerus) is the ball, which fits into the socket of your shoulder blade.
Shoulder instability occurs when the ball part of the shoulder joint does not move correctly in the socket. This can range from a slipping or "catching" feeling in your shoulder, to a full shoulder dislocation where the ball comes completely out of the socket.
The symptoms of shoulder instability can sometimes be vague. People with shoulder instability often describe symptoms that are similar to having a "dead arm", such as:
If the shoulder is dislocated (where the ball has come out of the socket), symptoms can include:
Shoulder instability can be either:
Traumatic shoulder instability is often the result of an accident.
Atraumatic shoulder instability tends to occur as a result of repetitive arm movements, such as throwing or swimming.
Shoulder instability usually occurs in people aged under 35.
The acromioclavicular joint is the joint at the top of your shoulder (not the ball and socket joint). Possible acromioclavicular joint disorders include:
Symptoms of acromioclavicular joint disorder include:
If the acromioclavicular joint is dislocated, it may also look visibly out of position.
Acromioclavicular joint disorders are more common in men and those between the ages of 20 and 50.
People who play contact sports such as rugby have an increased risk of developing acromioclavicular joint disorders.
They are also more likely to occur in people who have fallen on their shoulder – for example, during a skiing accident.