The labrum is the cartilage rim surrounding the socket of the shoulder joint. The labrum can be damaged from throwing during baseball, swinging a racquet during tennis or hanging from the arm during gymnastics.

A shoulder separation is an injury to the joint between the clavicle and the shoulder blade. This part of the shoulder can be injured from a blow or a fall onto the top of the shoulder during football, hockey, skiing, and snowboarding. This injury can also occur after repeated weightlifting.

The biceps tendon attaches the biceps muscle to the shoulder. This tendon can become frayed causing pain in the older athlete who plays tennis and racquetball.

A shoulder dislocation occurs when the ball completely comes out of the joint’s socket. This occurs when the arm is pushed backwards and levers the ball to pop out from a fall while snowboarding or skiing and from contact during football and the martial arts.