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Last updated Thursday, February 10, 2005
Diagnosing problems of shoulder roughness
In order for the shoulder to function effectively, smooth movement must occur in a number of critical joints and motion interfaces. These include the joints:
Smooth motion must also occur at the motion interfaces:
Roughness, catching, grinding, crunching, or snapping at any of these locations may interfere with the functioning of the shoulder.
Just because noise is produced on moving the shoulder doesn't mean that a serious problem is present. On the other hand, loss of the smooth motion of the shoulder can deprive the joint of its normal comfort, range of motion and function.
A good history and physical examination along with quality plain X-rays provide sufficient information to diagnose most of the important problems of shoulder roughness.
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