Blog Post

Most people take shoulder movement for granted — until the day you can’t reach up to open a cabinet, put on a jacket, or brush your hair because the joint isn’t working right anymore. 

At Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Schertz, Live Oak, and San Antonio, Texas, our talented team of specialists offers complete care, from diagnosis to innovative treatment strategies to restore joint movement and relieve shoulder pain. 

Here are some of the most common reasons your shoulder isn’t moving normally.

Frozen shoulder

Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, occurs when the connective tissue around your shoulder joint thickens and tightens. This causes restricted shoulder movement alongside discomfort and stiffness. There are generally three stages of frozen shoulder:

• Freezing stage: Movement becomes increasingly painful, and stiffness begins
• Frozen stage: Pain may lessen, but shoulder remains stiff and “stuck”
• Thawing stage: Gradual symptom lessening

Frozen shoulder affects up to 5% of Americans. It’s more common in women, particularly after age 40, and has a far higher prevalence in people with diabetes.

Rotator cuff injuries

Strains or tears in the rotator cuff — a group of muscles and tendons that enable shoulder joint movement and stability — can cause serious shoulder mobility issues. Often, the movement problems happen because ordinary motions like reaching can be intensely painful with a rotator cuff injury. 

Rotator cuff injuries are quite common, affecting around 2 million Americans annually. In most cases, rotator cuff injuries happen because of age-related tissue degeneration, however, you can also injure your rotator cuff in a fall or other traumatic injury.

Shoulder impingement

Shoulder impingement happens when tendons or bursa — the fluid-filled sacs that cushion the joints — get trapped or pinched as you move the joint. This can significantly restrict joint movement. Shoulder impingement may be the root cause of up to 50% of shoulder pain and, in turn, may cause many shoulder movement problems as well. 

Arthritis

Arthritis occurs in many forms, but the most common type we see in the shoulder is osteoarthritis. It happens when the cartilage normally protecting the bones erodes. This can leave the bones in your shoulder joint rubbing together, causing pain, stiffness, and restricted movement. Shoulder arthritis can affect anyone but becomes more common with age. 

Get personalized treatment for your shoulder issues

At Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, our team treats shoulder problems using the most comprehensive approaches to help you get long-term relief. From physical therapy to joint injections and orthopaedic surgery, we create a plan to address your shoulder stiffness and help you move the joint confidently again. 

Call one of our convenient locations or reach out online anytime to book your appointment today.