The 5 most common causes of shoulder pain.
- Jan 3
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Do you have shoulder pain and want to know what the cause is? We will explain the 5 most common causes of shoulder pain here.
In this article you will learn:
How to get to the bottom of your shoulder pain.
Causes of front, side and deep inner shoulder pain
What to do if the cause of your symptoms remains unclear.
This is how you can get to the bottom of your complaints yourself!
Anterior shoulder pain is often a sign of a problem with the long biceps tendon.
Where does it hurt the most? At the front, on the side, behind or inside? Front shoulder - a common problem area: the long biceps tendon! The long biceps tendon runs from its origin in the supraglenoid tubercle diagonally over the humeral head below the capsule through the shoulder joint.
The long biceps tendon can already be torn at its anchor. We call this a SLAP lesion. If the SLAP is injured, the biceps tendon swings uncontrollably through the shoulder joint and can cause pinching and pain during movement, just like with a meniscus injury in the knee.
As it continues, it must make a sharp turn between the two rotator tendons into the biceps canal. This region is called the pulley system. Injuries (pulley injuries) often occur on this pulley, which can occur as an accompanying injury to rotator damage.
In addition, the biceps tendon can suffer from inflammation within the tendon tissue and is therefore a common cause of shoulder pain. Due to its characteristic course, the pain usually manifests itself as anterior shoulder pain.
Lateral shoulder pain - These are the most common causes:
If the tendon damage becomes chronic, it can lead to tears or tendon defects.
Lateral shoulder pain, on the other hand, is often caused by impingement syndrome . This is a pain syndrome in which the supraspinatus tendon is constricted below the shoulder roof.
In mild cases, this can cause painful bursitis. If the damage becomes chronic, it can lead to tears or complete tendon defects in the supraspinatus tendon. This is then referred to as a rotator cuff tear.
Another reason for shoulder pain in the lateral deltoid muscle can be a so-called calcified shoulder.
In the case of calcific tendonitis, calcium deposits build up in the rotator cuff. These can be signs of chronic circulatory problems in the tendon and should be checked out before they cause major damage to the tendon. Middle-aged women are often affected by calcific tendonitis.
I have pain inside my shoulder - what could be the cause?
A common cause of internal shoulder pain is osteoarthritis.
Internal shoulder pain can have many different causes. In young patients, instability of the shoulder joint can be the cause of pain felt deep inside.
A benign condition that can lead to internal shoulder pain is the so-called frozen shoulder. This is a shoulder stiffness that usually occurs spontaneously.
On the one hand, it leads to pain in the shoulder, and on the other hand, it is responsible for a persistent restriction of movement, especially rotation, and hinders the arm from being extended. After about 1.5 years, the "scare" is usually over, but in rare cases, medication or surgical treatment can be considered.
Another reason for internal shoulder pain is joint wear, i.e. osteoarthritis . Although a certain amount of joint wear is normal over the course of life, primary shoulder osteoarthritis affects people between 60 and 80 years of age.
In contrast to the knee and hip, excess weight is not a trigger for osteoarthritis in the shoulder. Rather, anatomical predispositions such as a short shoulder roof are considered to be a contributing factor.
Conclusion:
The long biceps tendon is a common cause of anterior shoulder pain.
Bursitis, impingement syndrome and tears of the rotator cuff are typical causes of lateral shoulder pain .
Pain felt inside the shoulder can be caused by osteoarthritis .
Do you have any questions? Then make an appointment with our shoulder specialist :
specialist in orthopedics
and trauma surgery,
sports medicine
