Shoulder Specialist

What causes shoulder pain?

Four muscles and their tendons, a group that’s collectively called the rotator cuff, stabilize the bones in your shoulder. The rotator cuff holds your upper arm bone in the joint while supporting the arm’s full range of motion.

Everyday movement, combined with the extra stress you may place on your shoulder from activities leads to pain caused by problems such as:

• Shoulder instability
• Osteoarthritis
• Rotator cuff tear
• Biceps tendonitis
• Rotator cuff tendonitis
• Impingement
• Frozen shoulder
• Labrum tear
• Dislocation
• Fractures

Bursitis, an inflammation of tiny fluid-filled sacs, is another condition that can cause severe shoulder pain.

What causes a rotator cuff tear?

Rotator cuff tears most often develop over time, as the wear and tear of your daily activities gradually weaken the tissues to the point where they tear. However, an acute injury can also tear your rotator cuff. For example, you may fall onto an outstretched arm or lift something that’s too heavy.

What causes shoulder fractures?

Of the three bones that make up your shoulder joints, the scapula (shoulder blade) is seldom broken unless it suffers a high-energy trauma. Scapula fractures are typically associated with a serious chest injury.

The other two bones — the clavicle (collar bone) and the humerus (arm bone) — typically suffer a fracture from a direct blow during a fall, collision, or a car accident.

The symptoms of a proximal humerus fracture include:

• Severe pain
• Swollen shoulder
• Very limited shoulder movement

By comparison, a clavicle fracture typically has milder symptoms. Your pain isn’t usually severe, and your range of motion is moderately limited. With a clavicle fracture, many patients develop swelling in the collar bone or a bump created by the ends of the broken bones.

How do orthopaedic specialists treat shoulder pain?

Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine develops a treatment plan based on your diagnosis and the severity of the injury, as well as your symptoms. However, most shoulder injuries require immobilization, followed by rehabilitation. The length of your shoulder immobilization varies, but a mild injury takes about 4-6 weeks before you return to normal function.

Shoulder fractures may not need surgery, as long as the bones are in place. Ligament and tendon tears are more likely to need surgery to ensure they heal and regain optimal strength. 

When you need surgery for your shoulder, your doctor at Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine has extensive experience performing minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery. They also excel with advanced surgical procedures, including conventional total shoulder replacement, and reverse total shoulder replacement to take stress off an injured rotator cuff.

You receive expert care for shoulder pain at Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. Call or book an appointment online today.