conditions & disorders

What common conditions can affect your shoulder?

Anything that damages nearby bones, muscles or ligaments can hurt your shoulder, including conditions like:

Dislocated shoulder: Healthcare providers may call this a glenohumeral joint dislocation. It happens when something forces the rounded end of your upper arm from its spot in the cup of your shoulder blade.

Osteoarthritis: This is known as wear-and-tear arthritis. It develops over time when the cartilage lining your joint wears down, so your bones rub together.

Shoulder bursitis: You may have this condition if something irritates the fluid-filled sacs in your shoulder. Symptoms are shoulder pain, swelling, stiffness and skin discoloration.

Shoulder fracture: You can break the bones of the shoulder joint, including the ball, socket, shoulder blade or collarbone. Breaking your collarbone or shoulder blade can affect the position and movement of your glenohumeral joint. Breaking the ball or socket can cause pain and weakness with moving the joint.

Shoulder sprain: This is when you stretch ligaments that support your shoulder. Symptoms are shoulder pain, swelling and bruising.

Rotator cuff tendinitis or tearing: Doing the same movements repeatedly can put stress on your shoulder joint and make your rotator cuff swell or tear. Large tears of your rotator cuff can cause pain and weakness of your shoulder and arm.