We call those tissues that line the inside of the spaces the Synovium and the Bursa. The shoulder is a very complex joint composed of bone, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and two different tissues that line the inside of our shoulder joint. In another post, I describe the things to look for to know if you had a serious shoulder injury. Read on… I’m going to try to help you sort through whether or not your popping or grinding shoulder is mostly “normal” or is it due to something that should be looked at further. Some of you have pain and want to know what’s causing the pain and the new sensation. Most of you are worried about the sounds your joints are making. I see between 5-10 patients a week who are simply in my office because they want to know – Why does my shoulder snap, click and pop? The most common causes of painful shoulder popping include rotator cuff tears, bursitis, labral tears, biceps tendon problems, and arthritis. That swelling can tighten the spaces available for all those complex structures in the shoulder which might cause popping or grinding with certain motions. When our tendons become inflamed they swell. Sometimes the popping or grinding in the shoulder is because something is inflamed or damaged. Rest assured, the majority of sounds or sensations coming from your shoulder are often not a cause for concern. Often times the clicking or popping you feel is simply normal because all of these structures are moving on one another.

Those tissues interact and move upon one another like a complex ballet. The shoulder contains muscles, bones, tendons, cartilage, and a bursa. The shoulder is a very complex joint so there are many structures that can snap, pop or click when they are injured or inflamed.

A grinding sensation in the shoulder is even more common. Shoulder snapping or popping is a very common complaint.

Painful look over the shoulder girl