Posttraumatic arthritisarthritisJoint inflammation of the shoulder can occur at any age and can be caused by an accident (trauma) or by shoulder surgerysurgeryThe branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of disease, injury, and deformity by operation or manipula... that was performed as a treatment for dislocation (instability). The arthritisarthritisInflammation of a joint or joints resulting in pain, swelling and stiffness. may occur relatively soon—or years after the original injury.

what causes arthritis? who is at risk?

The shoulder joints most commonly affected by arthritis are:

• The glenohumeralglenohumeralRelating to the glenoid cavity and the humerus. (ball and socket) jointjointThe junction between the ends of two adjacent bones.
• The acromioclavicular joint (where the shoulder blade and collarbone meet)

To provide patients with effective treatment, physicians will determine what type of arthritis a patient has, and which joint is affected.

what are the symptoms of arthritis? how is it diagnosed and treated?

glenohumeral joint arthritis

Glenohumeral joint arthritis occurs in the glenohumeral (ball and socket) joint. The most common symptoms are painpainAn unpleasant sensation associated with actual or potential tissue damage, and mediated by specific nerve fibe... and restriction of motion.

To diagnose the condition, the physician will take the patient‘s medical history and examine the shoulder to assess the range of motion. X-rays may be helpful to show boneboneThe hard tissue that provides structural support to the body. It is primarily composed of hydroxyapatite cryst... spursspursA sharp, bony outgrowth located at the end of a bone. and loss of joint space—an indication of damaged cartilagecartilageThe hard, thin layer of white glossy tissue that covers the end of bone at a joint. This tissue allows motion .... An MRIMRIShort for magnetic resonance imaging. This is a special radiologic test that allows for excellent imaging of t... also may be ordered to look for joint capsulejoint capsuleThe sac that encloses a joint, formed by an outer fibrous capsule and an inner synovial membrane. swelling and bone spurs.

The physician may suggest NSAIDsNSAIDsA nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen. to treat the pain and inflammationinflammationA local response to injury due to a physical reaction (such as abrasion), or to chemical or biological agents,.... It also may be necessary to modify some of the activities that affect the shoulder movement. The physician also may suggest a corticosteroid injection into the joint to decrease painful symptoms.

Early stages of glenohumeral joint arthritis can often be managed without surgery. However, if arthritis is severe or symptoms are not well controlled with rest, medication and injections, a shoulder replacement may be recommended.

acromioclavicular joint arthritis

Acromioclavicular joint arthritis occurs where the collarbone (clavicleclavicleThe collarbone.) meets the shoulder blade (scapula) at the acromion. The most common symptoms are pain at the top of the shoulder, pain when crossing the arm in front of the body (such as reaching to touch the other shoulder) or pain when raising the arms above the head. It most commonly results from a previous injury, such as a shoulder separation or dislocation.

To diagnose the condition, the physician will take a medical history and examine the shoulder for tenderness. X-rays may be helpful in showing bone spurs and loss of joint space—an indication of damaged cartilagecartilageA usually translucent somewhat elastic tissue that composes most of the skeleton.. An MRI also may be ordered to look for joint capsule swelling and bone spurs pushing down into the rotator cuffrotator cuffThe rotator cuff is made up of four muscles and their tendons. These combine to form a "cuff" over the head of....

The physician may suggest NSAIDsNSAIDsA nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen. and ice packs to treat the pain and inflammationinflammationA localized tissue response initiated by the injury or destruction of vascularized tissues. Inflammation Heat,.... It also may be necessary to modify some of the activities that affect the shoulder‘s movement. The physician may suggest a corticosteroid injection into the joint to decrease painful symptoms. In addition, physical therapyphysical therapyThe treatment consisting of exercising specific parts of the body such as the legs, arms, hands or neck, in an... may be useful.

If arthritis is severe or symptoms are not well controlled with rest, medication, and injections, surgery may be recommended to remove the end of the collarbone.

what can patients expect long term?

Injury-related arthritis affects everyone differently. In some people, their arthritis progresses rapidly, with severe symptoms. This requires aggressive management of the disease. Fortunately, the development of new medications and innovations in joint preserving or joint replacement procedures are continuing.