Did you know that what you call your shoulder is actually several joints combined with muscles and tendons to provide you with a wide range of motion – from throwing that perfect pitch to simply scratching your back. However, mobility comes with a price! As the Top Shoulder Specialist in Columbus, OH, we’ve seen our fair share of shoulder injuries and problems.
Today we’re going to look at some of the common causes of shoulder pain.
- Bursitis: Small, fluid-filled sacs called bursae are located within your joints throughout the body. They act as little cushions between your bones and overlying soft tissue to reduce friction. Sometimes, excessive shoulder use can lead to swelling of the bursae, leading to many tissues in your shoulder becoming inflamed and even painful. You might find daily activities more difficult.
- Tendinitis: Most tendinitis results from a wearing down of your tendon, a cord that connects muscle to bone, over time. Tendinitis can be both acute and chronic. The most affected tendons are your four rotator cuff tendons in your shoulder.
- Tendon Tears: This can be caused by acute injury from a sport or other activity or from a degenerative change in your tendons from aging, long-term overuse, or a sudden injury. In most cases, if you have a complete tear, the tendon is pulled away and no longer attached to the bone.
- Impingement: This happens when the top of your shoulder blade puts pressure on underlying soft tissues, oftentimes when the arm is lifted away from your body. This can lead to tendinitis and bursitis, causing you pain and limited mobility.
