What is shoulder pain?

Shoulder pain is any pain in or around the shoulder joint.

The shoulder is the most movable joint in the human body. A group of four muscles and their tendons, called the rotator cuff, give the shoulder its wide range of motion.

Swelling, damage, or bone changes around the rotator cuff can cause shoulder pain. You may have pain when lifting the arm above your head or moving it forward or behind your back.

Causes

The most common cause of shoulder pain occurs when rotator cuff tendons become trapped under the bony area in the shoulder. The tendons become inflamed or damaged. This condition is called rotator cuff tendinitis or bursitis.

Shoulder pain may also be caused by:

• Arthritis in the shoulder joint
• Bone spurs in the shoulder area
• Bursitis, which is inflammation of a fluid-filled sac (bursa) that normally protects the joint and helps it move smoothly
• Broken shoulder bone
• Dislocation of the shoulder
• Shoulder separation
• Frozen shoulder, which occurs when the muscles, tendons, and ligaments inside the shoulder become stiff, making movement difficult and painful
• Overuse or injury of nearby tendons, such as the bicep muscles of the arms
• Nerve injury that leads to abnormal shoulder movement
• Tears of the rotator cuff tendons
• Poor shoulder posture and mechanics