Shoulder Conditions and Treatments

The shoulder or glenohumeral joint is a ball-and-socket joint. The head of the upper arm bone known as the humerus forms the ball, while the glenoid cavity at the outer tip of the scapula (shoulder blade) forms the socket. Although it is not part of the glenohumeral joint, the clavicle (collarbone) meets with the scapula to form the shoulder girdle, connecting the shoulder to sternum (breastbone).

These bones are supported and connected by a complex system of soft tissues, including the tendons and muscles of the rotator cuff, which helps stabilize the joint. The shoulder's functional ability to rotate fully makes it the most mobile joint in the human body.