What you may feel
- Pain over the outer shoulder or upper arm.
- Raising or lowering the arm, such as reaching a shelf, may hurt.
- Lying on the affected shoulder may disturb sleep.
- Combing hair, dressing or rotating the arm may reveal weakness.
- Sudden loss of strength after injury needs prompt assessment.
How it is assessed
Active and passive movement and strength are checked. Ultrasound or MRI may help when the result would change care.
Describe tasks that have become difficult, such as dressing, gripping or raising the arm. Mention night pain, finger numbness or strength changes.
Approaches to care
Care often centres on load adjustment and gradual strengthening. Marked weakness after an injury needs assessment.
Set practical goals with your clinician, such as better sleep, dressing or everyday hand use. Activity changes are adapted to your abilities.
When to seek urgent help
Major injury, a deformed joint, sudden loss of arm strength, or a hot red joint with fever need prompt medical assessment.
Further reading: AAOS OrthoInfo
This is educational information and does not replace an individual medical assessment. Similar symptoms alone do not establish a diagnosis.