Irritation or small tears in the group of four muscles and tendons that hold the top of the arm bone in the shoulder socket and let you lift and rotate the arm.
Repeated overhead movement in sports like baseball, tennis, swimming and weightlifting wears the tendon tissue down over time. In teenagers it is usually overuse rather than a full tear.
The ball at the top of the arm bone comes fully out of the shoulder socket. The shoulder looks visibly out of shape, is very painful, and cannot be moved normally.
A fall on an outstretched arm, a tackle, or a forceful twist with the arm raised. Once a shoulder has dislocated, it is more likely to happen again, particularly in younger people.
A break in the collarbone, the long bone that runs across the top of the chest from the breastbone to the shoulder. It is one of the most common fractures in children and teenagers.
A fall directly onto the shoulder, a fall on an outstretched arm, or a direct hit, common in cycling, football, rugby, skateboarding and skiing.
If something hurts, stop. These exercises support recovery and prevention; they do not replace a doctor or physiotherapist.
A strain usually builds up gradually, aches deep in the shoulder, and hurts with overhead movement or at night. A dislocation or a fracture follows a specific fall or hit, causes severe pain straight away, and often leaves the shoulder or collarbone looking out of shape. Sudden weakness in the arm after an injury, or a shoulder that will not move, needs a doctor immediately.
No. Rotator cuff problems get worse with continued overhead use, and the exercises that fix them only work if you also rest from the activity. If the pain has not improved after a couple of weeks of rest, or if it disturbs your sleep, see a doctor or physiotherapist.
A mild rotator cuff strain usually improves over a few weeks. A dislocation needs the shoulder put back by a medical professional, followed by weeks of rest and rehabilitation, and a broken collarbone usually takes six to twelve weeks to heal in teenagers. In every case, return to sport should be guided by a doctor, not by how the shoulder feels on a good day.
Had a Shoulder/Upper Arm injury? Share it in the Injury Archive, open from 30 October to 30 November 2026.