Shoulder joint is a very flexible joint providing a range of motion and hence it is also inherently unstable joints. Shoulder instability occurs when the ligaments and tendons that hold your arm to your shoulder are overstretched. This often occurs in young people or athletes.
The symptoms of shoulder instability include pain, a looseness in your shoulder, and weakness in your arm.
Impingement is caused by excessive rubbing of the shoulder muscles against the top part of the shoulder blade, called the acromion. Impingement problems can occur during activities that require excessive overhead arm motion.
Treatment involves a physiotherapy, medications and injections to reduce inflammation and promote healing.
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and tendons that surround the glenohumeral joint (ball-and-socket shoulder joint). The rotator cuff is important in many routine activities, and when injured can cause severe pain.
When the rotator cuff is inflamed or irritated, this is referred to as rotator cuff tendonitis or shoulder bursitis. When the tendons of the rotator cuff have torn, this is called a rotator cuff tear.
The acromioclavicular joint, or AC joint, is a joint at the junction between the acromion and the clavicle. There is cartilage (soft tissue) between the two bones, which allows them to move on each other. AC Joint injuries happen due to arthritis, fractures and separations.
Treatment could involve physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory injections, as well as surgery to repair dislocated AC Joints.
Frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, causes pain and stiffness in the shoulder. Physical therapy, with a focus on shoulder flexibility, is the primary treatment recommendation for frozen shoulder.
Frozen shoulder most commonly affects people between the ages of 40 and 60, and occurs in women more often than men.
Like most of your other joints, your shoulders can develop osteoarthritis, a condition in which the cartilage inside your joints breaks down.
Osteoarthritis results in pain and stiffness, which can be managed by physiotherapy, medication, injections. If the damage is too great, you can go for a shoulder replacement surgery.
Dr. Deepak G Shivarathre diagnoses shoulder pain and injuries by learning about each patient’s history and reported activities and conducting a physical examination. In many cases, the doctor also order imaging tests. Common tests include:
