Sporthopedia · Patient Information
Understanding Your Shoulder
Clear information about shoulder injuries, rotator cuff tears, instability, and treatment options — written for patients.
Anatomy
How Does the Shoulder Work?
Joint
Most Mobile Joint
The shoulder is the body's most mobile joint — a ball-and-socket design allowing 180° of movement in multiple planes. This mobility comes at the cost of stability, making it prone to injury.
Rotator Cuff
4 Muscles, 1 System
The rotator cuff consists of four muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis) that surround and stabilize the shoulder joint. Tears are among the most common shoulder injuries.
Labrum
The Stability Ring
Like the hip, the shoulder has a labrum — a cartilage ring that deepens the socket and anchors key ligaments. Tears (Bankart lesion) often occur with shoulder dislocations.
AC Joint
The "Bump" at the Top
The acromioclavicular (AC) joint connects the collarbone to the shoulder blade. AC separations are common contact sport injuries, causing a visible bump and shoulder pain.
Common conditions
What Could Be Wrong?
Rotator Cuff Tear
Partial or full tears cause weakness, pain with overhead activity, and night pain. More common with age. Can be acute (trauma) or degenerative (gradual wear).
Shoulder Instability / Dislocation
The shoulder is the most commonly dislocated large joint. After one dislocation, the risk of recurrence is high — especially in young athletes. Labral repair (Bankart repair) is often recommended.
Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)
Progressive stiffness and pain in all directions, often without a clear cause. Common in diabetics and after periods of immobilization. Usually resolves over 1–3 years with physiotherapy.
Shoulder Impingement
Pinching of the rotator cuff tendons under the acromion bone during arm elevation. Causes pain with overhead movements and is very common in swimmers, painters, and overhead athletes.
Treatment
Your Treatment Journey
Assessment & Imaging
MRI provides the clearest picture of soft tissue injuries (rotator cuff, labrum). Ultrasound is useful for dynamic assessment. X-rays show bone spurs, AC joint disease, and fractures.
Conservative Treatment
Physiotherapy focusing on rotator cuff strengthening, scapular stability, and posture correction resolves the majority of shoulder conditions. Corticosteroid injections can help reduce pain and inflammation.
Arthroscopic Surgery
Keyhole shoulder surgery can repair rotator cuff tears, fix labral tears (Bankart repair), release frozen shoulder, and decompress impingement — often as a day-case procedure.
Shoulder Replacement
For severe arthritis or complex rotator cuff problems, total shoulder replacement or reverse shoulder replacement restores pain-free function. Reverse replacement is especially effective when the rotator cuff is absent.
Rehabilitation
Recovery varies by procedure: 3–6 months for rotator cuff repair, 4–6 months for Bankart repair, and 6–12 months for shoulder replacement. Compliance with physiotherapy is critical for best outcomes.
FAQ
Your Questions, Answered
No. Many partial tears and even some complete tears in older, less active patients can be managed with physiotherapy. Surgery is typically recommended for younger active patients or when conservative treatment fails after 3–6 months.
The risk of recurrence is high — especially under age 25 (up to 80%). After a first dislocation, labral repair is often discussed in young athletes to prevent recurrence and long-term joint damage.
The repaired tendon takes 3 months to heal biologically. Most patients use a sling for 4–6 weeks, start gentle movement at 6 weeks, and return to full strength and sports activity by 6 months.
The exact cause is unknown, but risk factors include diabetes, thyroid disease, previous shoulder injury, and prolonged immobilization. It involves inflammation and thickening of the joint capsule and usually improves over 1–3 years.
Questions about your shoulder?
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