Spital Männedorf

Arthrosis of the shoulder joint can lead to considerable limitations to everyday life. It is comparable to osteoarthritis of the hip and knee, but with the big difference that the shoulder is not a load-bearing joint. There are different stages of wear and tear. The restrictions however to everyday life also play a major role, be it through pain or the limited mobility and quality of life. The most important symptoms are pain and limited mobility of the shoulder.

The rotator cuff surrounds the humeral head and allows for the extreme mobility of the shoulder. With age, there is progressive wear of these tendons. This can lead to elevation of the humeral head and progressive wear of the articular cartilage, resulting in painfully limited mobility of the shoulder. A distinction is made between different stages of wear. The restrictions of the patient however to their everyday life also play a major role, be it through pain or through the limited mobility and quality of life.

The long biceps tendon runs through the shoulder joint. It is susceptible here to injuries in the course of falls and also to wear and tear. Its holding apparatus can be damaged following an accident, but also by injuries to the rotator cuff. This leads to discomfort when put under pressure, which can be very troublesome.

A SLAP lesion affects the upper part of the joint lip of the shoulder joint with transition to the long biceps tendon. The trigger is often a fall with sudden traction or pressure on the shoulder joint.

About 5% of all fractures affect the humeral head. The risk of suffering a humeral head fracture increases with age and decreasing bone quality. Women over the age of 60 are most frequently affected. A distinction is made between displaced and non-displaced fractures. The more displaced the fracture, the more critical the blood supply to the humeral head. In addition, there are fractures with a simultaneously dislocated joint.

Injuries to the clavicle occur when falling on the shoulder, for example, while mountain biking, skiing or snowboarding. About 35% of all injuries to the shoulder girdle involve the clavicle. A distinction is made between fractures to the middle, inner and outer thirds of the clavicle. The middle third is most frequently affected.

Frozen shoulder is a painful restriction to the active and passive mobility of the shoulder. The reason for this is a thickening of the joint capsule. The cause of so-called idiopathic frozen shoulder is unclear. However, it occurs more frequently in patients with diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders or disorders of lipid metabolism.

A dislocated shoulder occurs predominantly after a fall, but can also occur due to a congenital weakness of the connective tissue. The shoulder dislocates most frequently to the front downwards, much less frequently to the back. It is the most common dislocation in humans and occurs mainly to active young men and in women of advanced age. Accompanying injuries to tendons, bones, nerves and blood vessels may occur.

An injury to the acromioclavicular joint occurs after falling on the shoulder or arm, for example, while mountain biking or skiing. As a result, the outer end of the collarbone is higher.