The most common reason patients come to my office is for shoulder pain. Most of them aren't major league pitchers or electricians working overhead. Instead, they spend most of their time behind the wheel or behind a desk, and don't realize they're slouching. The muscles around their shoulder blades get weak, and they're prone to tendinitis and bursitis from bone spurs they never knew they had.
Watch the shoulder move in 3-D at About.com--the best illustration of the shoulder's structure and function I've seen so far! (It's worth waiting thru the 15 second commercial)
If your shoulders have started to hurt, be honest about how you've been treating them. Start with sitting up straight and strengthening the muscles across your upper back. Use mild anti-inflammatory or pain medicines. See your doctor for an exam and X-Ray, and maybe your pain will go away with a cortisone shot and/or physical therapy.
If you've done your best, but pain persists, the next step might be surgery to remove bone spurs and inflamed tissue, or to repair a tear in your rotator cuff: click here for information from the AAOS.
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