The shoulder has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the entire body, so it's little wonder than an injury here can be debilitating! So what causes shoulder pain? Shoulder pain, especially in athletes, is often the result of injuries to an area known as the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is made up of the four tendons that hold the shoulder together, allowing for its large range of motion. A common rotator cuff aliment is tendinitis, a condition that occurs when the rotator cuff's tendons become overused.As I've often seen while working with PGA professionals, this happens quite frequently in golfers. Avid golfers are prone to tendinitis of the shoulder because they constantly put pressure on the humerus, the arm bone that connects the shoulder to the elbow. This extra force on the humerus can cause it to become slightly misaligned. When this occurs, the rotator cuff must work harder to keep the bone where it belongs, resulting in the inflammation characteristic of tendinitis. Another problem which can affect the shoulder's rotator cuff is a tear of the muscle tissue. Muscle tears are debilitating injuries that can occur due to a tendon overload, which could result from an intense weight lifting session or football game. The shoulder is a ball and socket joints, and a particularly jarring impact can cause the bulb-shaped head of the ball to pop out of its protective socket. This is called a shoulder dislocation. A dislocated shoulder joint can occur as the result of a severe fall in any sport. Elderly people are also prone to falling and suffering from this type of shoulder injury. A separated shoulder, usually occurs when the ligament that holds the clavicle to the acromion, or when the shoulder blade gets stretched. This type of injury can be almost as painful as a dislocated shoulder. As with most injuries, a separated shoulder has varying degrees of severity based on the degree of the injury. The discomfort that results can range from a mild throbbing to an intense burning. Another injury common to the shoulder area occurs in the Acromio-clavicular, or AC joint. The AC joint sits in between the outside end of the clavicle and the shoulder blade. A ligament connects these bones and holds the joint together. Biking and skiing falls that directly impact the upper arm are often the cause of the tearing and the subsequent pain that is characteristic of AC separation. A variety of injuries can cause intense pain in the large ball and socket joints of the shoulder. Shoulder injuries can often prevent you from participating in your favorite sports, or even in daily activities! If left untreated, shoulder injuries will often recur or become worse, so please see your doctor at the first sign of shoulder pain.