The Shoulder Quiz
A dislocation and a torn rotator cuff are just two things that can go wrong with the shoulder. Can you think of others? Find out how much you know about shoulders by taking this quiz, based on information from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
1. The collarbone is part of the shoulder joint.
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The shoulder joint is composed of three bones: the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone).
2. The shoulder is the second most movable joint in the body, after the knee.
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The shoulder is the most movable joint. But because of the wide range of motion allowed by the joint, it is also quite unstable. It is easily subject to injury because the ball of the upper arm is larger than the shoulder socket that holds it.
3. A pain in and around the shoulder may indicate an injury—or a disease elsewhere in the body.
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Disease within the body (such as gallbladder, liver, or heart disease, or disease of the cervical spine of the neck) also may generate pain that travels along nerves to the shoulder.
4. A shoulder can be dislocated more easily than any other major joint.
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Because of this, shoulder dislocations occur more frequently than dislocations in any other major joint. The shoulder can dislocate forward, backward, or downward. In a typical case of a dislocated shoulder, a strong force that pulls the shoulder outward (abduction) or extreme rotation of the joint pops the ball of the humerus out of the shoulder socket. Dislocation commonly occurs when there is a backward pull on the arm that either catches the muscles unprepared to resist or overwhelms the muscles.
5. Swelling and numbness are two symptoms of a dislocated shoulder.
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Other symptoms include intense pain, weakness, and bruising. Muscle spasms can increase the pain. Sometimes nerve damage occurs.
6. A dislocated shoulder must be kept immobile for 3 months.
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The arm and shoulder must be immobilized for several weeks. Usually the doctor recommends resting the shoulder and applying ice three or four times a day.
7. Jobs that require heavy lifting can lead to rotator cuff tears.
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Another cause is sports that require repeated overhead arm motion. One or more rotator cuff tendons may also become inflamed from overuse, aging, a fall on an outstretched hand, or a collision.
8. A "frozen shoulder" rarely appears in someone younger than 40.
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This condition, which doctors call adhesive capsulitis, is frequently caused by injury that leads to lack of use because of pain. Intermittent periods of use may cause inflammation. Risk factors for frozen shoulder include diabetes, stroke, accidents, lung disease, and heart disease.
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