Symptoms & Conditions

Shoulder Condition Symptoms

As a result of arthritis, a fracture or other joint or muscle problems, you may be experiencing pain, limited range of motion in your shoulder and grinding, or “clicking” sensation.

Symptoms & Conditions

Common Shoulder Conditions

Conditions that can affect your shoulder include arthritis, fracture, shoulder dislocation or rotator cuff tear.

Arthritis

There are many different types of arthritis. The most common is osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative joint disease. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones in the joint deteriorates. Cartilage becomes thin and eventually wears out, causing bones in the shoulder joint to rub together. This results in pain and the loss of movement in the joint. When pain and lack of mobility reaches an advanced stage, shoulder replacement may be recommended.

Another type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease in which the joint lining becomes inflamed as part of the body’s immune system activity. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most serious and disabling types, affecting mostly women.

Fracture

Fractures of the humerus are very common, especially among the elderly, and usually occur at the top of the arm bone. During surgery to repair the break, the fractured pieces are put back together and held in position with pins, wires, sutures or plates.

Or, the surgeon may determine that shoulder replacement is the best option to repair the fracture and restore function.

Shoulder Dislocation

The shoulder joint provides the widest range of motion of any joint in the human body. Because of the shoulder’s tremendous arc of motion, it is also susceptible to “dislocation.” When a dislocation occurs, most commonly as a result of a fall or other trauma, the humerus, or “ball” of the shoulder, comes out of the socket. Most often this occurs in the front of the shoulder.

A person is at increased risk of having more dislocations after the first one occurs. Surgery may be recommended in these cases.

Torn Rotator Cuff

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that surround the humeral-glenoid joint. Their function is to provide stability for the shoulder joint. When a rotator cuff muscle is torn due to years of overusing the shoulder, a traumatic fall or accident, or it tears due to the natural muscle breakdown that occurs as we age, the affected muscle may not be able to be repaired. In these severe cases, shoulder replacement may be recommended to relieve pain and restore mobility.

Specifically, the reversed shoulder prothesis is often indicated for patients with irreparable rotator cuff tears. The specific design of the reversed prothesis allows for the stronger deltoid muscle to take over for the rotator cuff for function and mobility.