Aetiology of intrinsic shoulder pain

The most common intrinsic causes of shoulder pain are:

• adhesive capsulitis / frozen shoulder
• rotator cuff impingement syndrome
• subacromial bursitis

Other causes include:

• bicipital tendinitis is commoner in younger people who have been involved in vigorous activity
• osteoarthritis in the gleno-humeral joint is relatively uncommon, and usually there is a history of previous trauma
• joint inflammation:
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • septic arthritis
  • tuberculosis
• recurrent gleno-humeral subluxation
• previous injury of the spinal accessory or suprascapular nerve
• polymyalgia rheumatica
• prolonged immobilisation i.e. following a stroke

Reference

1. Murphy RJ, Bintcliffe F; Ask the expert: assessment of shoulder pain in primary care. BMJ. 2023 Jul 7;382:1255.