Shoulder Pain

Care for your shoulder injury at Ohio State

When your shoulder hurts or feels weak, it can be difficult to do everyday tasks, such as walking the dog, lifting boxes or reaching atop the refrigerator. If you’re an athlete, especially one who throws over your head, shoulder pain can leave you wondering if you’ll be able to play your sport again at the level you want.

One of the benefits of being treated for shoulder conditions at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is that we take care of world-class athletes, but we bring that elite level of treatment to everyone. Our shoulder experts have similar goals for all people with shoulder pain, whether they’re an athlete playing for the Buckeyes or someone wanting to play with their kids or grandkids.

At the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, we’ll use the most leading-edge treatment options, including surgical or nonsurgical, to minimize risk and optimize the timing to get you back to doing the activities you love. Our shoulder team, which spans multiple disciplines, is the clear choice for your shoulder care.

Common causes of shoulder pain

The Ohio State Sports Medicine team evaluates and treats a broad range of orthopedic shoulder and elbow injuries. These injuries occur in the young and the elderly, as well as in people with either active or sedentary lifestyles.

Shoulder pain is caused by several factors, including orthopedic trauma, injury, dislocation, fracture, overuse, degenerative conditions or nerve damage. For example, a traumatic shoulder injury can often lead to arthritis in the long term and other short-term issues with the rotator cuff and labrum (cartilage in the shoulder). Throwers, commonly referred to as throwing athletes or upper extremity athletes, can have unique and complex problems involving the shoulder and elbow.

Common shoulder conditions we treat include:

• Shoulder instability, which is a result of the joint being out of position, whether from trauma or overuse. Symptoms include pain that worsens when raising the arm, stiffness, lack of strength and mobility in the shoulder area and the sensation that the shoulder is slipping out of place.
• Rotator cuff tears, which often occur slowly from shoulder misuse or general overuse over months or years, whether from sports, jobs with repeated overhead motion or daily activities. The repetitive force against the tendon is to blame, and the aging process factors in as well. These can also be caused by traumatic injuries.
• Biceps tendonitis, which happens when the biceps tendon is inflamed from overuse or general wear and tear. The biceps tendon connects the shoulder to the biceps muscle.
• Superior labrum anterior-posterior (SLAP) tear and other labral tears occur when the labrum, which is the cartilage that surrounds the inner part of the shoulder joint, tears. A SLAP tear, specifically, is located at the top (superior) part of the cartilage.
• Shoulder impingement, which occurs when the bone on top of the shoulder (the scapula) impinges on the rotator cuff with overhead arm movement, causing pain and irritation.
• Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a condition that causes stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint without any specific injury or trauma.
• Fractures of the shoulder can happen as a result of high-energy trauma, while others can have shoulder fractures from ground-level falls.
• Clavicle (collarbone) fractures are very common at all ages from falls onto the shoulder or onto an outstretched arm that put undue pressure on the collarbone, although they are most common in young patients.
• Tendinosis of the shoulder or elbow results when there isn’t appropriate rehabilitation after an injury or when an overuse injury fails to heal properly.
• Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa – the fluid-filled cushion between bone and muscle or tendon. This condition creates pain and swelling and is a result of injury to or overuse of a joint.
• Shoulder arthritis is a slow-progressing problem, generally from previous bony fracture, dislocation or a heavy blow to the shoulder that results in an abnormal wearing down of the cartilage. Treatment focuses on reduction of inflammation, physical therapy for strengthening and to preserve motion and on avoidance of specific activities to prevent further wear and arthritic flare-ups.
• Failed shoulder replacement is often a complex problem that requires a systematic approach to treatment. It may include specialized testing such as computed tomography scans, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound imaging, blood tests and joint fluid samples.