Shoulder injuries are most likely to occur in workers who are required to repeatedly extend their arms and reach above their heads in the course of their work, as well as employees who routinely lift heavy objects or who operate heavy machinery during the course of the workday. However, a shoulder injury can also be the result of a single traumatic event, such as reaching out to catch something that is falling, being struck by a moving vehicle or swinging object, falling from a height and landing heavily on the shoulder, or reaching out to catch something that is falling while reaching for it with the other arm.

Whether the injury is a sprain, strain, bruise, tear, or break determines the type of treatment that will be administered, which can range from resting the shoulder and taking medication to undergoing surgery or having the shoulder joint replaced.