Lake Tahoe Orthopaedic Institute

What are the signs and symptoms of glenohumeral arthritis?

Pain from bone-on-bone rubbing within the joint is the most common symptom of glenohumeral arthritis

At first the pain may come and go, but it tends to increase with time, usually over several years.
Movement usually adds to the discomfort.
The pain is commonly present at night, and interferes with sleep.
There may or may not be pain at rest.

Loss of motion is another common symptom. Possible causes of motion loss include:

Osteophytes that block joint motion
Constriction of the joint capsule due to chronic inflammation, pain, and disuse
Fractures or previous surgeries that may have changed joint structure and interfered with motion
Weakness of the supporting muscles following a rotator cuff tear

Other symptoms may be:

Atrophy (wasting away) of shoulder muscles due to disuse
Swelling in the shoulder due to inflammation
Crepitus (clicking or crunching sound) during shoulder motion
Tenderness with palpation (touch) affecting the entire shoulder region or specific areas

PH: 1-888-383-LTOI or 775-588-3636 FAX :775-588-1299

Zephyr Cove Office
212 Elks Point Rd., Suite 200 | Zephyr Cove, NV 89448
Phone: 775-588-3636 | MAP

Carson City Office
704 W. Nye Lane, Suite 204 | Carson City, NV 89703
Phone: 775-884-3131 | MAP

Gardnerville Office
1516 Virginia Ranch Road, Suite 101 | Gardnerville, NV 89410
Phone: 775-783-3228 | MAP

Incline Village Office
889 Alder Ave, Suite 303 | Incline Village, NV 89451
Phone: 775-831-7144 | MAP

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