NEWS

The shoulder joint is complex in makeup and function. It is made up of muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones which enable you to move your shoulder in all sorts of directions. The shoulder is also an unstable joint. It is a ball and socket joint where the ball is much larger than the socket, similar to the way a golf ball is larger than the tee it sits on. The shoulder is stabilized by soft tissues — muscles, tendons, and ligaments – that are subject to injury.

Common painful shoulder problems include:

• Dislocation - Occurs when the joint’s ball or humeral head separates from the socket, also called the glenoid

• ​Rotator Cuff Tear - Occurs when there is injury to one or more of the tendons comprising the rotator cuff. There are four tendons which enable the lifting of arms and rotating of shoulder

• Fracture - Occurs when there is a break in a bone. It is usually the result of an injury

• ​Arthritis - Occurs when there is wearing away of the cartilage in the shoulder joint

To consult with a Saint Peter's doctor about shoulder injuries click the button below.