Term76

Scapula

The Scapula

The scapula (shoulder blade) forms part of the shoulder, at the back. It is a triangular, flattened bone, with several projections. The scapula is attached to the outer end of the collar bone (clavicle) at the acromioclavicular jooint. Its outer end provides a socket for the head of the upper arm bone (humerus), forming the bony articulation of the shoulder joint. The Scapula is held in place by strong muscles, which can move it in relation to the chest wall. It provides attachment for many of the muscles of the shoulder and upper arm, including the biceps.

The Shoulder

About 12.3 million people went to the doctor's office in 2002 for a shoulder problem, including 4.2 million visits for shoulder and upper arm sprains and strains.

Shoulder injuries can be caused by sports activities that involve excessive overhead motion like swimming, tennis, pitching and weightlifting. People involved in everyday activities like washing walls, hanging curtains, and gardening also can get shoulder injuries due to excessive overhead arm motion.

Athletes are especially susceptible to shoulder problems. A shoulder problem can develop slowly in athletes through repetitive, intensive training routines.

What is the Scapula?

The scapula (shoulder blade) forms part of the shoulder, at the back. It is a triangular, flattened bone, with several projections. The scapula is attached to the outer end of the collar bone (clavicle) at the acromioclavicular jooint. Its outer end provides a socket for the head of the upper arm bone (humerus), forming the bony articulation of the shoulder joint. The Scapula is held in place by strong muscles, which can move it in relation to the chest wall. It provides attachment for many of the muscles of the shoulder and upper arm, including the biceps.

Glenohumeral Instability

What is Glenohumeral Instability?
After being treated for an initial dislocation of your shoulder, you may find that it feels like it's about to dislocate periodically. This feeling of giving-way is called glenohumeral instability or subluxation.

Glenohumeral instability refers to a condition in which the humeral head in the shoulder repeatedly slips out of the joint, or seems to nearly slip out.

The shoulder blade and humerus, or upper arm, form the glenohumeral joint. This is what you would normally think of as your 'shoulder joint'. The glenohumeral joint is a ball-and-socket joint, consisting of the head of the humerus, or upper arm, and the glenoid fossa, which is formed by a slightly hollowed portion of the end of the shoulder blade. The head of the humerus maintains very little contact with the glenoid itself during movement, however. Instead, the shoulder relies on a group of ligaments, muscles and tendons to help keep the humerus in the proper place, and to provide stability to the joint.