Shoulder Shoulder Conditions Shoulder pain is most common in athletes, although it can affect anyone. Most shoulder pain occurs when soft tissues in the shoulder are injured or over-used.
Soft tissues refer primarily to the muscles, tendons, ligaments and bursae.
Shoulder pain can result from trauma in a fall or car accident, or from movements such as swinging a racket, throwing a ball or repetitive movements in the workplace. The type of shoulder pain you have depends on what tissue is affected. Some injuries lead to inflammatory conditions such as bursitis and tendonitis, while others may lead to arthritis or instability. Sometimes shoulder pain may travel to the elbow or even to the neck. Therefore, you may feel pain in other locations, even though it is coming from the shoulder.