Shoulder sprains

[Agnes]

Shoulder sprains are tears in the ligaments that hold the shoulder joint in place.

Ligaments may be partially or complete torn.
Shoulder sprains are common, especially among athletes, such as football and rugby players and wrestlers.
The joint is painful and tender.
Doctors take x-rays to determine how severe the sprain is.
Joints are usually immobilized with a sling if a sprain is not severe, but severe sprains may require surgery.

(See also Overview of Sprains and Other Soft-Tissue Injuries.)
The shoulder joint is held together by ligaments that connect the collarbone (clavicle) to two knobs of bone on the shoulder blade—one on the front (called the acromion) and one on the back (called the coracoid process). Sprains most commonly affect the ligament on the front (called acromioclavicular sprains). But one or more ligaments can be torn.
Ligaments may be partially or completely torn. If the ligaments that connect the collarbone to the coracoid process are completely torn or nearly so, the collarbone separates from the shoulder blade—called a shoulder separation.
Shoulder sprains are common, especially among athletes who participate in high-velocity or contact sports such as alpine skiing, jet skiing, football, rugby, and wrestling. These sprains result from a fall usually on the shoulder or, less often, on an outstretched arm.
The rotator cuff consists of muscles that help hold the upper arm in the shoulder joint. These muscles may become pinched, inflamed (tendinitis), and/or partially or completely torn. Rotator cuff injury is not specifically considered a shoulder sprain.