| Have you ever been working out at the gym, pushing | | | | minor are the muscles which are viewed from the |
| a heavy weight and heard a popping sound in your | | | | rear, or posterior. The subscapularis is not visible |
| shoulder? Or what about skiing down the slopes, and | | | | because it can only be viewed from the front, or |
| landing shoulder first in the snow at the bottom. Or | | | | anterior. Anyway, enough of the technical stuff. |
| maybe just having a friendly game of tennis, when all | | | | Causes |
| of a sudden there's a sharp pain in your shoulder. | | | | There are two major causes of most shoulder pain |
| These are all signs of the same thing; a shoulder injury. | | | | and injuries. The first being degeneration, or general |
| Whether you want to call it a rotator cuff tear or | | | | wear and tear. Unfortunately, the shoulder is a |
| tendonitis shoulder, it's really all the same. A tear, strain | | | | tendinous area that receives very little blood supply. |
| or inflammation in the rotator cuff muscles and | | | | The tendons of the rotator cuff muscles receive very |
| tendons. | | | | little oxygen and nutrients from blood supply, and as a |
| Frozen shoulder is a slightly different condition affecting | | | | result are especially vulnerable to degeneration with |
| the shoulder joint where the surrounding capsule | | | | aging. This is why shoulder problems in the elderly are |
| becomes inflamed and result in shoulder pain. | | | | common. This lack of blood supply is also the reason |
| The shoulder joint is a truly remarkable creation. But it | | | | why a shoulder injury can take quite a lot of time to |
| is also one of the most fragile parts of the body. It's | | | | heal. |
| quite a complex formation of bones, muscles and | | | | The second cause of most shoulder injuries is due to |
| tendons and provides a great range of motion for your | | | | excessive force, or simply putting too much strain on |
| arm. The only downside to this extensive range of | | | | the tendons of the shoulder muscles. This usually |
| motion is a lack of stability, which can make the | | | | occurs when you try to lift something that is too heavy |
| shoulder joint vulnerable to injury and cause shoulder | | | | or when a force is applied to the arm while it's in an |
| pain. | | | | unusual or awkward position. |
| Lets have a quick look at the shoulder joint in a little | | | | Symptoms |
| more detail. The shoulder is made up of three bones, | | | | There are two common symptoms of a shoulder pain, |
| and the tendons of four muscles. (Remember, tendons | | | | injury and weakness. Pain is not always felt when a |
| attach muscle to bone.) The bones are called the | | | | shoulder injury occurs, however most people who do |
| "Scapula," the "Humerus" and the "Clavicle." Or, in | | | | feel pain, report that it's a very vague pain which can |
| layman's terms, the shoulder blade, the upper arm | | | | be hard to pinpoint. |
| bone and the collarbone, respectively. | | | | Weakness, on the other hand, seems to be the most |
| The four muscles which make up the shoulder joint | | | | reliable symptom of a shoulder pain. Common |
| are called, the "Supraspinatus," the "Infraspinatus," the | | | | complaints include an inability to raise your arm above |
| "Teres Minor" and the "Subscapularis." It is the tendons | | | | your head or to extend your arm directly to the side or |
| of these muscles, which connect to the bones, that | | | | in front. In most cases, the larger the tear or damage |
| help to move your arm. | | | | to the tendons, the harder it is to move your arm and |
| The supraspinatus, the infraspinatus and the teres | | | | the injured area. |