The shoulder
The joint with the widest range of motion in the human body and, for that very reason, the most exposed. Here is how it works, what tends to fail, and what can be done about it.
Mobility at the expense of stability
The shoulder is not one joint but four working together: the glenohumeral, the acromioclavicular, the sternoclavicular and the scapulothoracic glide. That architecture gives it a range of motion no other joint matches, and in exchange it relies almost entirely on soft tissue — rotator cuff, capsule, ligaments — to stay in place.
Which is why most shoulder problems are not bone problems but tendon and capsule problems. And why an accurate diagnosis matters so much: pain on lifting the arm can be a torn rotator cuff, an impingement or early arthritis, and the treatment differs in each case.
Avoiding surgery first
A good share of shoulder pain resolves without surgery. The principle is to exhaust conservative treatment and operate only when operating beats not operating.
- Imaging reviewed in the consultation, with you in the room
- Targeted rehabilitation before surgery is considered
- Ultrasound-guided injections where indicated
- Minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery if an operation is needed
Conditions & treatments
Each condition starts from what you actually feel, not from the technical name. Find your case and go deeper.
Rotator cuff tear
Pain lifting the arm, loss of strength and night pain that wakes you. What a rotator cuff tear is, how it is diagnosed and what the options are.
View DetailsShoulder instability and dislocation
A shoulder that comes out or gives way in certain movements. What happens in a dislocation, why it recurs and when stabilisation is worth considering.
View DetailsShoulder arthritis and frozen shoulder
Progressive stiffness and constant pain that already limits daily life. Two different problems with one shared symptom, and why telling them apart matters.
View DetailsAlso treated
- Subacromial impingement Pain in a specific arc when lifting the arm, combing your hair or reaching a shelf. What subacromial impingement is and why most cases resolve without surgery.
- Shoulder fractures After a fall or an impact. Which shoulder fractures are treated without surgery, which need operating, and why early assessment changes the result.
- Clavicle and acromioclavicular joint A lump or pain at the top of the shoulder after a fall, typical in cycling and contact sports. When it is treated without surgery and when operating helps.
- Sports medicine for the shoulder Shoulder injuries in athletes: diagnosis, treatment and return to competition. Trained at St George Hospital in Sydney, a leading sports medicine centre.
- Shoulder rehabilitation The treatment that resolves most shoulders without theatre, and the one that determines the result when surgery is needed. What to expect and how long.
Not sure where you fit?
A specialist assessment clarifies the diagnosis before any treatment is proposed.