Shoulder Problems

Shoulder pain is one of the more common presenting complaints to the orthopaedist.  Many of these problems are insidious, meaning they develop gradually over time and have no identifiable cause or source.  Shoulder pain and neck pain are often interchangeable and can be difficult to differentiate.  This is because problems affecting the shoulder lead to overcompensation by the muscles controlling the shoulder blade and this often gives rise to neck and upper back pain.  X-rays can be used to make a diagnosis for arthritis but they do not show the tendons or soft tissues in the shoulder which are often the source of pain.  For this reason I will request an MRI fairly early in the diagnostic process to get a better idea what the source of the problem is.

Shoulder Bursitis

Frozen Shoulder

Rotator cuff tears

Biceps Tendonitis

Shoulder Impingement