Inability to move shoulder normally

Content provided by Healthwise

Inability to move shoulder normally

You may not be able to move your shoulder normally after an injury because of pain or swelling. Pain may occur when you use your arm. You may have limited range of motion because of swelling. When the swelling goes down, normal movement will generally return.

If you cannot move your arm, you may have nerve damage, a ruptured muscle, or a torn tendon. Loss of function that is not caused by pain may indicate damaged muscles, tendons, ligaments, or nerves and requires medical treatment. A child will protect or be unable to use his or her arm if he or she has a serious shoulder injury.

Decreased movement may be caused by:

• Pain.
• Damaged muscles, bones, nerves, or tendons (such as a torn rotator cuff tendon).
• Inflammation of the sac of fluid that cushions and lubricates the joint area between one bone and another bone, a tendon, or the skin (bursitis).
• Inflammation of the tough, ropelike fibers that connect muscles to bones (tendinitis). Bicipital tendinitis is an inflammation of one of the tendons that attach the muscle (biceps) on the front of the upper arm bone (humerus) to the shoulder joint. The inflammation usually occurs along the groove (bicipital groove) where the tendon passes over the humerus to attach just above the shoulder joint.
• Muscle strain.
• A frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), a condition that limits shoulder movement and may follow an overuse injury.
• Breakdown of the cartilage that protects and cushions the shoulder joints (osteoarthritis).
• Calcium buildup in the tendons of the shoulder.
• An irritated or pinched nerve or a herniated disc in the neck.
• Infection in the skin (cellulitis), joint (infectious arthritis), bursa (septic bursitis), or bone (osteomyelitis).
• Invasive cancer that has spread to the bones of the shoulder or spine.

Your shoulder may feel loose or unstable after an injury because:

• One or more ligaments have torn partially or completely. Symptoms of a torn ligament include:
  • Pain and swelling.
  • A popping sound at the time of the injury.
  • A wobbly (unstable) joint.
  • Difficulty moving the shoulder normally (not just because of pain).
• Cartilage has torn or moved out of its normal position.
• A shoulder has dislocated or is broken (fracture).

Prompt treatment is important to promote healing and prevent complications.

Credits

Last updated:	September 24, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer