Introduction Pathology to the proximal aspect of the long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) has long been recognized as a source of shoulder pain and dysfunction. Referred by some as the biceps-labral complex, the proximal biceps tendon includes its…
The thrower's shoulder is a unique and challenging subset of sports medicine given the extreme demands placed on the glenohumeral joint and surrounding soft tissue structures. For purposes of discussion, we will mainly focus on medical issues as they relate…
Superior labrum anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesions have been recognized as a cause of shoulder pain since the mid-1980s. Controversy regarding normal variant labral anatomy versus truly pathologic lesions causing consistent clinical symptoms surfaced almost immediately thereafter. Snyder and colleagues…
The recurrence of anterior glenohumeral instability is not uncommon following primary surgical repair with reported rates of 15% to 30%. Optimal management for recurrent shoulder instability remains controversial; as many acceptable surgical options exist, and the decision-making process is heavily…
The shoulder is unique in that it is the most mobile joint in the human body. It serves primarily to position the hand in space and thus requires a delicate balance of stability and flexibility to accomplish its function. The…
Posterior shoulder instability is a unique condition that not only represents a spectrum of instability, but can also be difficult to diagnose and technically challenging to treat. Although less common than anterior shoulder instability, accounting for only 2% to 10%…
Anterior shoulder instability is the most common type of shoulder instability. It is typically the result of a traumatic event with dislocation of the glenohumeral joint. However, instability also may present as subluxation, a condition in which the joint symptomatically…
Background Shoulder arthroscopy was first described in the 1930s by Burman, who learned how to perform arthroscopy on cadaveric joints. Remarkably, shoulder arthroscopy has been used regularly only for the past 30 years. The use of shoulder arthroscopy has continued…
Conventional Radiography Conventional radiography is and should be the initial imaging examination performed for a patient presenting with shoulder pain. Although radiographs provide limited evaluation of the rotator cuff and glenoid labrum, they can offer important information about the source…
Perhaps more than any other joint in the body, the shoulder can present a complex diagnostic challenge to the examining physician. There are a variety of anatomic and clinical reasons for this challenge. First, the “shoulder” is actually a functional…