Shoulder
The glenohumeral joint, commonly called the shoulder joint, is a ball-and-socket type joint that helps move the shoulder forward and backward and allows the arm to rotate in a circular fashion or hinge out and up away form the body. (The “ball” is the top, rounded portion of the upper arm bone or humerus; the “socket,” or glenoid, is a dish-shaped part of the outer edge of the scapula into which the ball fits.) the bones of the shoulder are held in place by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Ligaments attach shoulder bones to each other, providing stability. For example, the front of the joint capsule is anchored by three glenohumeral ligaments. The rotator cuff is a structure composed of tendons that, with associated muscles, holds the ball at the top of the humerus in the glenoid socket and provides mobility and strength to the shoulder joint.

Signs and symptoms of shoulder dysfunction include pain, weakness, pins and needles, numbness, grinding, and stiffness. These signs and symptoms which must be carefully investigated by your PT can also originate from the cervical spine. To identify the right cause your physical therapist is responsible for determining a movement impairment diagnosis and design a treatment plan which individually addresses your needs.