As the shoulder movement becomes less well balanced a typical pattern develops of raising the whole shoulder area, tipping the neck slightly over to the same side and allowing the scapula to wing away from the chest at the back. This biomechanical pattern forces abnormal stresses onto the shoulder structures, allowing impingement or the development or rotator cuff tears. In normal movement and use of the arm the body’s neural preparation system ensures the core is engaged to stabilise the spine and the scapula is stabilised by the muscles connecting it to the thorax.

The gleno-humeral joint, known in lay terms as the shoulder, is a vital part of the links in the upper limb and responsible for our ability to place our hands where we can see them to perform activities. Because flexibility is a prime requirement the shoulder is a less stable joint with moderate muscle power and a large range of motion. It is described as a “soft tissue joint”, implying that the joint’s functional ability is dependent on its soft and not its hard components. Physiotherapists are closely involved in treating and rehabilitating the shoulder, dealing with the muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Humeral fractures occur commonly with up to five percent of all fractures falling into this category, eighty percent of humeral fractures being minimally displaced or undisplaced. Osteoporosis is a contributing factor in many of these fractures and a fracture of the forearm on the same side is a typical presentation. Nerve or arterial damage from the fracture is an important consideration but not common. Typical sites of fractures are the top of the arm (neck of humerus – “shoulder fracture”) and the middle of the shaft of the humerus.

Exercise for shoulder arthritis pain is helpful, as long as you’re sure nothing in the shoulder is torn. Arthritis is kind of general term, meaning “inflammation of the joint.”Some people seem to think only of rheumatoid arthritis when they hear the term, but that’s significantly more complicated than just inflammation. [...]