The shoulder is a complex joint made up of 2 joints, the arm joint and the collar bone with the shoulder blade. It is mainly held together by muscles, which is why, when you have shoulder pain it can spread over a large area.

There are several possible causes of shoulder pain, most are caused by soft tissue damage such as:

• Rotator cuff tendonitis from strain to the muscles and tendons around your shoulder.
• Tension in the muscles between the neck and shoulder – this is usually down to your posture in your upper back or neck and is often linked to your position when you are using a computer/phone.
• Adhesive capsulitis/frozen shoulder, often caused by a fall forwards onto your hands or another injury.
• Dislocation.
• Fracture.
• Damage to the bones and cartilage, which can be caused by arthritis.
• Coming from a problem in another part of your body, such as your neck, or your low back.