The shoulder joint is a ball and socket joint consisting of the humeral head (ball) communicating with the glenoid (socket). The glenoid is shallow allowing for a wide range of movement but also rendering the joint potentially unstable (the ball can easily slip out of place). It is stabilised by a cartilaginous rim (labrum), ligaments and the surrounding muscles. The glenoid is the outer part of the shoulder blade (scapula). The scapula also glides along the ribs on the back of the chest making the scapulothoracic joint. The scapula also articulates with the collar bone (clavicle) to make the acromioclavicular joint. The other end of the clavicle articulates with the breast bone (sternum) to make the sternoclavicular joint. Together the four joints allow the shoulder to have the greatest range of movement in the whole body.

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