The joint cavity is cushioned by articular cartilage covering the head of the humerus and face of the glenoid. The joint is stabilized by a ring of fibrous cartilage surrounding the glenoid called the labrum .
Ligaments connect the bones of the shoulder, and tendons join the bones to surrounding muscles.
The biceps tendon attaches the biceps muscle to the shoulder and helps to stabilize the joint. Four short muscles originate on the scapula and pass around the shoulder where their tendons fuse together to form the rotator cuff . All of these components of your shoulder, along with the muscles of your upper body, work together to manage the stress your shoulder receives as you extend, flex, lift and throw. SCOI is proud to share the educational material on this site with other practices across the country. Material on this website is Copyright 2000 Southern California Orthopedic Institute.