Dr. Leelam Farzama

Shoulder pain and injuries

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that has three main bones: the humerus (long arm bone), the clavicle (collarbone), and the scapula (also known as the shoulder blade). These bones are cushioned by a layer of cartilage

The shoulder joint is a very mobile joint which makes it very susceptible to injury. It moves the shoulder forward and backward. It also allows the arm to move in a circular motion, and to move up and away from the body.

Shoulders get their range of motion from the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is made up of four tendons. Tendons are the tissues that connect muscles to bone. It may be painful or difficult to lift your arm over your head if the tendons or bones around the rotator cuff are damaged or swollen.
You can injure your shoulder by performing manual labor, playing sports, or even by repetitive movement. Certain diseases can bring about pain that travels to the shoulder. These include diseases of the cervical spine of the neck, as well as liver, heart, or gallbladder disease.
You're more likely to have problems with your shoulder as you grow older. It is especially common after age 60. This is because the soft tissues surrounding the shoulder tend to degenerate with age.
Most shoulder pain problems are:

•   tendonitis/bursitis, injury or instability of the joint, or arthritic disease.
•   rotator cuff syndrome is a strain or sprain or tear of the tendons that make up the rotator cuff.
•   rarely, tumors, infections, and nerve damage cause shoulder pain.
•   much neck pain is caused by soft tissue damage due to injuries such as whiplash or wear and tear due to overuse.
•   damage to spine joints and bones, such as cervical disk degeneration, arthritis, or traumatic injury can cause severe pain and disability.
•   fibromyalgia (whole body pain syndrome) can contribute to neck and upper back pain. Poor posture while performing everyday activities can also cause significant neck pain. Rarely, infections or tumors will cause neck pain.
•   pinching a nerve in the neck or shoulder, or breaking a shoulder or arm bone, are also causes of pain.
•   a frozen shoulder is when tendons, ligaments, and muscles stiffen and become difficult or impossible to move.
•   a dislocated shoulder is when the ball of the humerus pulls out of the shoulder socket. An injury due to overuse or repetitive use can cause injury

A work environment that's good for the body is very important. Most of us spend hours each day sitting in front of our computer.
The first step to creating an ergonomic workstation is to consider how you spend most of your time at the workstation.