Shoulder pain

is extremely common and disabling with many types of underlying causes and presentations. 

• In young people, more common to occur after some sort of injury 

• As we get older, prevelence of osteoarthritis in the shoulder becomes a more common cause of shoulder pain 

• 70% of people will experience shoulder pain in their lifetime 

• Recurrence rate is high (around 25%) 

• And recovery is typically very slow, with around 50% persisting for over 12 months

Causes 

• Injury to the components of the shoulder 

• Inflammation to shoulder capsule/ bursae 

• Osteoarthritis. Wear and tear to the delicate shoulder joint

• Neck and upper back problems 

• Axillary nerve/ brachial plexus nerve problems 

• Referred pain 

Effects around 22% of the adult population under the age of 70. 

The shoulder is a complex, highly movable joint, which allows for complicated movement, but also more prone to injury and wear and tear.

The delicate biomechanics of this complicated joint can also mean that conditions of shoulder inflammation is also more easily irritated than other joints, and conditions like bursitis and capsulitis occur frequently with over use. 

Neck and upper back problems can often cause shoulder pain. The shoulder joint is connected to both regions of the spine, and therefore highly affected by muscle tension, joint dysfunction and nerve impingement in these areas. 

Occasionally, shoulder pain is a result of referred pain from another organ or region, and can indicate another issue.