The shoulder is one of the less common locations for injuries to football players. While shoulder problems represent less than 3% of all injuries, their impact on a player’s career can be very significant. As a result, these injuries are well known and widely publicised.
Common sporting injuries of the shoulder include dislocations and labral pathology, acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) injuries, rotator cuff injuries, biceps injuries, and fractures. In very general terms, dislocations and ACJ injuries are more common in contact sports such as rugby and wrestling, while rotator cuff tears and biceps lesions are common in sports involving explosive heavy weight-lifting. Fractures around the shoulder are seen in sports involving crashes and falls from heights. All of these injuries can, however, occur in football.