Shoulder arthritis
Shoulder arthritis means wear of the smooth cartilage in the ball-and-socket joint. It ranges from mild stiffness to bone-on-bone pain. Treatment depends less on the X-ray and more on how it affects your sleep, work and activities.
What it often feels like
- Deep, aching pain in the shoulder, often with stiffness in the morning
- Grinding or catching with movement
- Gradual loss of motion, especially reaching up or rotating out
Where care usually starts
- Motion and strengthening exercises to keep the shoulder moving
- Activity adjustments for golf, tennis, pickleball and lifting
- Anti-inflammatory strategies and, when appropriate, a cortisone injection
Orthobiologics: when they fit
For mild to moderate arthritis that hasn’t settled with conservative care, PRP or other options using your own cells may be reviewed. Results vary, and they don’t regrow lost cartilage.
When surgery is considered
Anatomic or reverse shoulder replacement is considered when pain and lost function continue despite other care. Many people return to golf, swimming and doubles tennis.
How I weigh your treatment options →Get seen promptly if you notice
- A suddenly hot, red or swollen shoulder
- Fever with shoulder pain
- Rapid loss of motion or strength
For a medical emergency, call 911.
Other shoulder conditions
General education only — not medical advice or a diagnosis. Treatment decisions are made together after an examination.