Diagnosing Shoulder Pain: Three Common Causes
Your shoulder joint is composed of muscles, bones, and tendons. An injury to any section (or sections) of your shoulder can cause painful shoulder symptoms.
Although an exam by an orthopaedic physician is necessary to diagnose your shoulder injury accurately, there are three common causes of shoulder pain Dr. Sterett typically diagnoses in his Eagle County patients.
Shoulder Pain Cause 1: Shoulder Bicep Injuries
Your bicep muscle helps you move your forearm and bend your elbow. Two tendons connect the bicep muscle to the shoulder - the long head tendon and the short head tendon. An injury to any of those tendons can cause pain in the shoulder.
A few injuries to your shoulder bicep tendons includes:
A shoulder bicep strain caused by overuse or injury
Shoulder bicep tendonitis, where the tendon becomes inflamed
A torn shoulder tendon, usually accompanied by an impacted range of motion
A bicep strain and shoulder tendonitis are considered mild injuries, while a torn bicep tendon usually requires surgery.
Dr. Sterett and his Vail Valley team can diagnose the shoulder bicep pain with a full physical exam and imaging tests. Treatment (and recovery) for a shoulder bicep injury depends on the severity of the injury.
Shoulder Pain Cause 2: Shoulder Separation
The acromioclavicular (AC) joint connects the shoulder blade to the collar bone, helping your shoulder move through its full range of motion. Falling directly onto the shoulder can cause the AC joint to separate, causing pain on the top of the shoulder.
There are six grades of shoulder separation, from mild to severe:
Grade I: A ligament sprain that does not cause the collar bone to shift.
Grade II: A ligament is sprained or partially torn, causing the collar bone to misalign slightly.
Grade III: The ligaments in the AC joint are completely torn, pushing the collarbone completely out of position.
Grades IV-VI: These levels of shoulder separation are rare and cause severe damage to all the ligaments in the AC joint.
Typically, a Grade I or II shoulder separation can recover with nonsurgical treatment if diagnosed and treated early enough. All Grade III-VI injuries require surgery to repair the torn ligaments in the arm and shoulder.
Shoulder Pain Cause 3: Torn Rotator Cuff
One of the most common causes of shoulder pain is a torn rotator cuff. The rotator cuff keeps your upper arm in your shoulder socket using four muscles that come together as tendons. When one or more of those tendons is torn, the rotator cuff is damaged.
A torn rotator cuff can be partial or complete. Symptoms of a rotator cuff tear include:
Pain when raising your arm
Shoulder pain when resting your arm, especially at night
Shoulder weakness
Clicking, popping, or grinding sensations in the shoulder
If left untreated, a torn rotator cuff will only worsen - sometimes leading to chronic shoulder pain. Make an appointment with Dr. Sterett to diagnose your torn rotator cuff and discuss a treatment plan that’s right for you.
Schedule a Consultation With Vail Valley’s Renowned Shoulder Doctor
If your shoulder pain is impacting your range of motion or interfering with your quality of life, it’s time to seek professional treatment! With years of experience treating shoulder injuries, Dr. Sterett is the go-to orthopaedic physician for diagnosing shoulder pain.
Contact Dr. Sterett at Vail-Summit Orthopaedic & Neurosurgery today by calling (970) 476-7220 or by requesting an appointment online!
