Shoulder Pain Management

Identifying Shoulder Pain

Physical Examination

A thorough physical examination will help to confirm an initial diagnosis based on patient presentation and history. The physical examination should be systematic and include:

• Inspection
• Palpation
• Neurologic assessment
• Tests for range of motion and strength

The cervical spine should be examined carefully to rule out possible abnormalities and causes of referred pain, stiffness or weakness in the shoulder, such as radiculopathy and degenerative joint disease. Distal portions of the upper extremity should also be examined.

The shoulder should be inspected for prior surgical scars and differences in prominence, atrophy, color, edema or asymmetry should be noted. If the shoulder has not been used normally for a long period of time due to pain, some atrophy may be present. Areas of tenderness can be identified by palpation of bony and soft tissues.

For a demonstration of shoulder examination techniques, visit the Shoulder Exam video for the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Wisconsin, available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSrLbzZzJU8.