Aches & Pains
Shoulder
Rupture of the pectoralis major muscle at its attachment to the arm
Have you:
- A sudden sharp pain at the front of the arm or shoulder?
- Pain and swelling over the front of the shoulder or upper arm?
- Pain when you try to bring your arm inwards and across your chest against resistance?
- Pain when you try to rotate you arm inwards against resistance?
- A gap or lump visible in the muscle?
Inflammation of the pectoralis major muscle at its attachment to the arm
Have you:
- Felt any sudden sharp pain?
- Pain when you press in at this point?
- Pain when you try to bring your arm inwards and across your chest against resistance?
Inflammation of the subscapularis muscle
Have you:
- Pain in the shoulder particularly when you raise your arm above your shoulder and turn it inwards?
- Pain and / or weakness when you rotate the arm inwards against resistance?
Impingement syndrome
Have you:
- Pain in the shoulder when the arm is lifted above horizontal?
- Pain often present when the arms are raised up and out to the side in a 60 degree arc between the angles of 70 and 130 degrees - worse at around 90 degrees?
- Pain if the arm is lifted quickly forwards and upwards by the therapist.
- Pain when the arm is lifted forwards and upwards as far as it will go with the arm rotated inwards.
- Pain in the shoulder at rest, especially at night?
Rupture of the anterior deltoid muscle
Have you:
- Pain when you lift your arm from your side up to the front keeping it straight against resistance?
- Pain when you lift your arm from your side up sideways against resistance?
Fracture of the collar bone
Have you:
- Fallen badly on the shoulder or onto an outstretched hand?
- Is your collar bone (clavicle) very painful?
Dislocation of the clavicle and sternum joint
Have you:
- Had a hard impact to the shoulder?
- Pain when you push in at the point where your collar bone meets your breast bone?
- Pain radiating into the shoulder?
Inflammation of muscle attachments along the collar bone
Have you:
- Pain and discomfort along the collar bone (clavicle)?
- Pain when you press in along the collar bone?
Dislocation of the a.c. joint
Have you:
- Had a hard fall or impact onto the shoulder or put your arm out to stop you falling?
- Pain at the top of shoulder on the bone (where the clavicle meets the acromion process)?
- Pain when you move the shoulder joint particularly with your arms above your head?
Rupture of the supraspinatus tendon
Have you:
- Had a sharp pain in the shoulder at the time of injury?
- Fallen onto an outstretched arm or thrown something too heavy?
- Pain in a 60 degree arc as shown here.
Inflammation of the supraspinatus tendon and Subacromial bursitis
Have you:
- Overused the shoulder muscles particularly in activities which require your arm above your head?
- Pain in the shoulder joint when you turn the arm outwards?
- Pain in the shoulder in a 60 degree arc as you lift it up to the side?
- Pain when you press in at the upper front part of the shoulder?
Rupture of the anterior deltoid muscle
Have you:
- A sudden pain in the muscle at the front of the shoulder?
- Pain when you lift your arm from your side up to the front keeping it straight against resistance?
- Pain when you lift your arm from your side up sideways against resistance?
Rupture of the long tendon of the biceps muscle
Have you:
- Sudden pain over the front of the shoulder and upper arm?
- Swelling over the front of the upper arm?
- Pain on resisted shoulder flexion?
Inflammation of the long tendon of the biceps
Have you:
- Tenderness when you press in over the front of the upper arm and shoulder when the arm is bent?
- Pain if you bend the elbow to 90 degrees and try and turn the forearm outwards against resistance?
- Possible pain on resisted shoulder flexion?
Rupture of the posterior deltoid muscle
Have you:
- A sudden pain in the muscle at the back of the shoulder?
- Pain when you lift your arm from your side out to the back keeping it straight against resistance?
- Pain when you lift your arm from your side up sideways against resistance?
Rotator cuff injury
Have you:
- Pain when you bend the arm and rotate it outwards against resistance?
- Pain on the outside of the shoulder possibly radiating down into the arm?
- Pain in the shoulder which is worse at night?
- Stiffness in the shoulder joint?
