Front shoulder pain | Shoulder pain at the front

Front shoulder pain

Anterior shoulder pain is pain that is mainly (but not always exclusively) concentrated in the anterior shoulder joint. This includes pain in the anterior rotator cuff, biceps tendon, acromioclavicular joint (AC joint) and clavicle. Anterior shoulder joint pain may be caused by direct damage to the anatomical structures involved or may be a secondary pain if the damage is located at an anatomically distant site and is not a disease of the shoulder joint.

Shoulder pain can be caused by a variety of conditions. Probably the most common cause of shoulder pain in the shoulder region is tension and hardening of the shoulder and neck muscles. Due to stress and incorrect posture (e.g. sitting for too long), the shoulder, the back and the neck are put under great strain, which can lead to painful tension.

Mostly due to trauma, but also due to unfavorable or abrupt movements with an unheated shoulder, the joint capsule in the soft tissue area can tear, become sticky and shrink, leading to shoulder pain. In addition, the muscles or tendons of the rotator cuff may be torn (rotator cuff rupture), which often severely restricts arm mobility. Painful inflammation of the shoulder joint (periarthritis humeroscapularis) is caused by a lack of movement and, in extreme cases, can lead to stiff shoulder (capsulitis adhaesiva) or the so-called frozen shoulder.

Other diseases that cause shoulder pain are tendonitis or bursitis (bursitis subacromialis). Such inflammations are mainly caused by infections, mechanical overload, rheumatic diseases and gout. Joint degeneration (arthrosis) can be another cause of shoulder pain.

Shoulder joint arthrosis is caused by chronic overloading (e.g. from years of weight training), imbalances in the muscles, joint space narrowing with age, circulatory disorders or rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.Painful shoulder wear is particularly common in professions or leisure activities that are performed above the head (e.g. painters, handball or tennis players). The impairment of movement in the shoulder leads to painful inflammation and swelling.

In the so-called impingement syndrome (bottleneck syndrome) there is a constriction between the acromion and the humerus. A tendon runs there, which is exposed to a constant state of irritation, causing inflammation. Diseases of the spinal column can also cause shoulder pain.

Under certain circumstances, nerve inflammations or injuries, but also rheumatological diseases or internal diseases (e.g. heart attack, lung tumors, biliary colic) can become noticeable with the symptom shoulder pain. If the shoulder pain occurs particularly at night, a so-called calcified shoulder (tendinosis calcarea) can be behind it. Calcium crystals are deposited in the rotator tendon due to recurring minor tendon injuries or local circulatory disorders of the tendon.

Injuries, accidents and fractures can also lead to severe pain symptoms in the shoulder area. Frequently, the collarbone fracture (clavicula fracture) or injuries in the area of the humerus (e.g. humeral head fracture). A dislocation of the shoulder joint (shoulder dislocation) can also cause severe pain and have various causes (e.g. trauma, unstable shoulder).

  • Humeral head (humerus)
  • Shoulder height (Acromion)
  • Shoulder corner joint
  • Collarbone (Clavicle)
  • Coracoid
  • Shoulder joint (glenohumeral joint)