The pain and stiffness caused by shoulder osteoarthritis can affect arm movement. It can be painful and difficult to hit a golf ball, lift a dish from a kitchen cupboard, or even brush teeth. Even moderate shoulder osteoarthritis can cause chronic dull pain or intermittent flare-ups of intense pain that interrupt sleep. Show
Shoulder osteoarthritis involves degenerative changes to the cartilage and other structures in the glenohumeral joint. Watch: Shoulder Osteoarthritis Video Shoulder osteoarthritis may be referred to as glenohumeral osteoarthritis or simply shoulder arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis to affect the shoulder. Inflammatory forms of arthritis—such as rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease, and gout, a metabolic disease—have similar symptoms but are less common. advertisement Shoulder (Glenohumeral) Joint Anatomy and OsteoarthritisTo fully understand shoulder arthritis, it helps to know some shoulder anatomy. The shoulder is comprised of three bones:
See Shoulder Anatomy The acromioclavicular joint facilitates raising the arm up over the head and the glenohumeral joint allows for circular movement of the arm. The shoulder has 4 joints—places where 2 bones’ surfaces meet—but only 2 of these joints are prone to arthritis and injury:
Glenohumeral joint osteoarthritis is commonly referred to as “shoulder arthritis” and is the focus of this article. The terms “shoulder” and “glenohumeral joint” will be used interchangeably. See Shoulder Joint Structure In This Article:How Shoulder Osteoarthritis Causes PainThe glenohumeral joint may undergo many changes during osteoarthritis process. These changes include: Damaged cartilage In osteoarthritis, cartilage is injured, worn away, or otherwise degraded. A loss of cartilage can affect the shoulder’s biomechanics. The humerus and glenoid may rub and grind against one another. The bone-on-bone friction can cause shoulder pain. Bone spurs and other excess bone growth Bone lesions Inflammation advertisement The synovium produces and contains joint fluid, which supplies nutrients to the joint. An inflamed synovium becomes thicker, and the quantity and composition of the joint fluid it produces may change. This potentially painful condition1 is called synovitis. See How Do Synovial Joints Work? Changes to other soft tissues For example, as cartilage in the glenohumeral joint deteriorates, the joint space between bones shrinks, possibly putting strain on nearby tendons and causing tendinitis. See What Is Cartilage? Recognizing the symptoms of shoulder arthritis can help lead to an early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. As a general rule, if shoulder arthritis is diagnosed and treated early in the disease process, the patient will experience less pain and fewer long-term complications. References
How is shoulder joint motion affected by the absence of Scapulohumeral rhythm?How is shoulder joint motion affected by the absence of scapulohumeral rhythm? Without this shoulder girdle movement, one cannot normally and completely raise the arm above the head. The trapezius muscle is usually referred to and described as consisting of three different muscles.
What special projection of the shoulder demonstrates the supraspinatus outlet?Cards
Which technique is best when imaging the transthoracic projection for humeral head?Breathing technique is preferred if patient can cooperate. Patient should be asked to gently breathe short, shallow breaths without moving affected arm or shoulder. (This will allow best visualization of humerus by blurring out ribs and lung structures)
What approach demonstrates the humeral head and greater tubercle in profile for a humerus exam?Cards
|