Understanding Shoulder Arthritis - Medical Animation
MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Your main shoulder joint is made up of two bones, your upper arm bone, called the humerus, and your shoulder blade, or scapula. This joint called the glenohumeral joint is where the head of your humerus fits into the socket of your scapula. Smooth tissue called articular cartilage lines the bony surfaces of the joint. Tough tissue, called the joint capsule surrounds the joint. Fluid inside the capsule helps lubricate the joint. All of these features help your shoulder move freely. Shoulder arthritis is a painful disease in your shoulder joint. The two main types of shoulder arthritis are osteoarthritis, which may be due to years of overuse or injury, and rheumatoid arthritis. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage covering the bony joint surfaces becomes rough and wears away. This allows the bones to rub together. In rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system attacks your joints. This inflames the joint tissue and causes swelling. Over time, it can damage both the cartilage and bone in your joint. The most common symptom of shoulder arthritis is pain. As the arthritis gets worse over time, the pain may limit how much you can move your shoulder. If you have questions about shoulder arthritis, talk to your healthcare provider.