Anatomy Lab
These three bones connect to form the complex framework of the shoulder joint.
What are the clavicle, scapula, and humerus?
This injury occurs when an athlete lands on the tip of their shoulder, spraining or tearing the acromioclavicular ligament.
What is a shoulder separation (or AC sprain)?
This 4-letter sports medicine acronym guides a clinician through the standard evaluation flow: History, Observation, Palpation, and Special Tests.
What is H.O.P.S.?
This standard first-aid acronym stands for Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation during acute shoulder injuries.
What is P.R.I.C.E.?
A skateboarder falls and extends their arm to break their fall. In sports medicine, this common mechanism of injury is known by this 5-letter acronym.
What is FOOSH? (Fall On Outstretched Hand)
This four-muscle group is responsible for stabilizing the humeral head inside the shallow shoulder socket.
What is the rotator cuff?
This is the most common direction for a glenohumeral dislocation, usually caused by forced abduction and external rotation.
What is anterior?
[DAILY DOUBLE] To isolate the supraspinatus, you have the patient bring their arms to 90 degrees, horizontally adduct 30 degrees, point their thumbs down, and resist downward pressure.
What is the Empty Can (or Jobe) Test?
This type of early-stage rehab exercise involves a muscle contraction without any actual movement of the joint or change in muscle length.
What is an isometric exercise?
You run onto the football field to treat a wide receiver. They are holding their arm tight against their body, and their collarbone has a visible "step-off" deformity. This is the first piece of immobilization equipment you should apply before sending them to the X-ray room.
What is a shoulder sling (and/or swathe)?
This specific, shallow depression on the lateral scapula acts as the "socket" for the ball-and-socket joint.
What is the glenoid fossa (or glenoid cavity)?
Repetitive overhead throwing can pinch the supraspinatus tendon under the acromion, causing this chronic, painful syndrome.
What is Impingement Syndrome?
This special test looks for facial expressions of fear or muscle guarding when an evaluator mimics the mechanism of an anterior dislocation.
What is the Apprehension Test?
These passive, dangling exercises use gravity and momentum to safely introduce synovial fluid movement into a post-surgical or highly painful shoulder joint.
What are Codman’s Pendulum exercises
A baseball pitcher complains of a deep, aching pain during the late cocking phase of throwing, along with a "clicking" sensation. Based on the mechanical stress of overhead throwing, this cartilage structure is most likely damaged.
What is the glenoid labrum?
Moving the arm straight out to the side away from the body is this movement, which is uniquely initiated by the supraspinatus muscle.
What is abduction?
This four-letter acronym describes a tear to the superior ring of cartilage surrounding the glenoid socket, where the biceps tendon attaches.
What is a SLAP tear?
To perform this test for shoulder impingement, the evaluator passively and forcibly flexes the patient's internally rotated arm straight up past their ear.
What is Neer’s Test?
Exercises like "Y, T, Ws," rows, and scapular push-ups focus heavily on strengthening these specific stabilization muscles.
What are the scapular stabilizers?
A football player takes a hard hit to the neck and shoulder, immediately walking off the field shaking their arm, complaining of a burning, electrical numbness shooting down to their fingers. This is the common sports medicine term for this transient nerve injury.
What is a "stinger" (or burner / brachial plexus neuropraxia)?
Shrugging your shoulders upward toward your ears demonstrates this specific scapular movement.
What is scapular elevation?
Due to its shape and lack of muscular protection, this bone most commonly fractures along its middle third segment.
What is the clavicle?
This special test requires the patient to resist downward pressure with an extended elbow and a supinated palm to check for bicipital tendinitis.
What is Speed's Test?
Pitch counts are strictly monitored because this specific type of muscle loading occurs when the rotator cuff fires intensely to slow down the arm during the deceleration phase of a throw.
What is eccentric loading (or eccentric contraction)?
While evaluating a basketball player's chronic shoulder instability, you pull downward on their wrist while they are relaxed and notice a visible gap or "dimple" form just below their acromion. This clinical sign indicates inferior glenohumeral laxity.
What is the Sulcus Sign?