Basic Anatomy

Acromion: The bony tip of your shoulder that you can feel on top.

Glenoid:  The shallow ‘socket’ part of the shoulder joint, where the ball of the arm bone

fits.

Labrum: A rim of tough cartilage that makes the shoulder socket deeper and more

stable.

Rotator Cuff: A group of four small muscles and tendons that help lift and rotate the arm.

Biceps Tendon: A strong cord at the front of the shoulder that helps bend the elbow and lift the arm.

Olecranon: The bony tip of your elbow you feel when you rest it on a table.

Collateral Ligaments: Bands of tissue on either side of the elbow that keep it stable.

Common Problems

Impingement: When tendons in the shoulder get pinched, often causing pain when lifting the arm.

SLAP Tear: A tear in the top part of the labrum, where the biceps tendon attaches.

Bankart Tear: A tear at the front of the shoulder socket, often after a dislocation.

Hill-Sachs Lesion: A small dent in the ball of the shoulder bone, usually from dislocation.

Frozen Shoulder: Stiffness and pain that gradually limit shoulder movement.

Tennis Elbow Pain: on the outer side of the elbow, often from overuse of the forearm.

Golfer’s Elbow Pain: on the inner side of the elbow, also from overuse.

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: Tingling or numbness from the ‘funny bone’ nerve (ulnar nerve) being squeezed at the elbow.

Common Operations & Treatments

Arthroscopy: ‘Keyhole’ surgery using a camera and small instruments inside the joint.

Rotator Cuff Repair: Reattaching torn shoulder tendons to the bone.

Subacromial Decompression: Smoothing the underside of the acromion bone to stop tendons being pinched.

Bankart Repair: Fixing the torn labrum at the front of the shoulder socket.

Latarjet Procedure: Moving a small piece of bone to the front of the socket to stop the shoulder slipping out.

Shoulder Replacement(Arthroplasty): Replacing worn or damaged parts of the shoulder joint with metal and plastic parts.

Reverse Shoulder Replacement: The ball and socket are switched, allowing the big shoulder muscle (deltoid) to lift the arm when rotator tendons no longer work.

Elbow Replacement: Replacing the worn or damaged elbow joint with metal and plastic parts.

Ulnar Nerve Surgery: Moving or releasing the nerve at the elbow to reduce tingling and weakness.

ORIF (Open Reduction Internal Fixation): Fixing a broken bone with plates, screws, or rods.

Surgical Tools & Fixation

Suture Anchor: A tiny screw with attached stitches, used to secure tendons back to bone.

Plate & Screws: Metal pieces used to hold broken bones in place while they heal.

Nail (Intramedullary Nail): A rod placed inside the bone to fix certain types of fractures.

Tests & Scans

X-ray: Shows bones and fractures.

MRI Scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): A detailed scan that shows muscles, tendons, and cartilage.

CT Scan: A 3D type of X-ray that shows detailed bone problems.

Ultrasound: Uses sound waves to show tendons moving in real time, and can guide

injections.

Thank you so much for taking care of me. So pleased with the results of my operation.

~Karen, Manchester