The Shoulder Joint
Krystal Sarmiento
#10 The Shoulder joint: Bones that form it, Range of motion, common dysfunctions compared to normal structure
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The Shoulder
Research
Our shoulder is made up of three types of bones:
• Scapula (shoulder blade)- our shoulder blade
• Clavicle (collar bone)- our collar bone
• Humerus (upper arm bone)- the long bone in our upper arm.
Range of Motion
Our shoulders have the move multiple joints. The range of motion shows how far our shoulders can move and in which direction it is going towards with any significant pain or problems. There are different range of motions.
• Shoulder Flexion- Flexion is a movement in which the angle between the two pieces connected by the joint is reduced. Shoulder flexion has a normal range of motion of 180 degrees.
• Shoulder Extension-Extension is a movement in which the angle between the two portions connected by the joint is increased. Between 45 and 60 degrees is a standard range of motion for shoulder extension.
• Shoulder abduction- Abduction occurs when your arms are moved away from your body’s center. In a healthy shoulder, a normal range of abduction, starting with your palms at your sides, is around 150 degrees.
• Shoulder adduction-When you move your arms towards the middle of your body, this is known as shoulder adduction. Shoulder adduction has a normal range of motion of 30 to 50 degrees, depending on flexibility and body composition.
• Medial rotation- The usual range of motion for a healthy shoulder is 70 to 90 degrees of medial rotation, also known as internal rotation.
• Lateral rotation- Lateral rotation, often known as external rotation, and a healthy shoulder’s usual range of motion is 90 degrees.
Common Shoulder Dysfunctions
Acute Shoulder problems
• Sprains
• Dislocation
• Torn rotator cuff
• Fracture
Chronic Shoulder Problems
• Tendinitis
• Bursitis
• Arthritis
• Frozen Shoulder
Critical Thinking-
Our upper arms are connected to our body by our shoulders. The shoulder joint is both the most flexible and the most complex in the body. In the shoulder, three bones, over a dozen muscles, and several ligaments and tendons come together. Because of the way they’re attached, we can move our arms in almost any direction we wish. However, the shoulder’s flexibility comes at a cost: it’s prone to damage. And determining the source of shoulder pain isn’t always straightforward.
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References
Sawyers, T. (2018, September 13). Normal Shoulder Range of Motion. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/shoulder-range-of-motion
Common Shoulder Problems: Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://intermountainhealthcare.org/medical-specialties/orthopedics-sports-medicine/conditions/common-shoulder-problems/
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