Your shoulder has the widest range of motion of any joint in your body. This flexibility allows you to do everything from throwing a baseball and swinging a tennis racket, to lifting and moving equipment.

The shoulder is one of the most vulnerable joints in your body because it can move in all directions. Most of the shoulder's support comes from the rotator cuff muscles.

Not all joint pain is caused by arthritis. Often joint or muscle pain is caused by problems with the structure around the joint, such as a tendon, bursa, ligament, or muscle.

The rotator cuff is a powerful team of muscles and connecting tendons. These muscles and tendons attach your upper arm to your shoulder blade. Without it, your shoulder would be nearly useless.

The bones in the shoulder are connected by ligaments and muscles. When the shoulder is healthy, you can move your arm in almost any direction.

Normally, bones glide smoothly within your joints, allowing a wide range of motion. But a bone can be pushed or pulled out of position. This is known as a dislocation.

Together the wrist and hand are composed of 29 bones: 19 in the hand and fingers, 8 in the wrist, and 2 in the forearm.

Trigger finger is an inflammation of tissue inside your finger or thumb. It is also called tenosynovitis.

The treatment for trigger finder may be nonsurgical or surgical, depending on how severe your condition is. Your doctor can talk to you about the best option for you.

Dupuytren’s contracture is a disease that can lead to limited use of your hand. While it often doesn’t cause pain, it can make it hard to straighten your fingers.

Your doctor can tell if your flexor tendon is cut by examining your finger. If the wound is very deep, the finger may be x-rayed to make sure the bone isn’t damaged, too.

Cubital tunnel syndrome is a set of symptoms that may occur if the ulnar nerve in your elbow gets pinched. This may happen if you bend or lean on your elbows often.

Pain in the elbow can occur from overuse, a fall or blow to the joint, or a force that causes the elbow to bend backward.

Tennis elbow (also called lateral epicondylitis) is an inflammation around the bony knob (lateral epicondyle) on the outer side of the elbow. It occurs when the tissue that attaches muscle to the bone becomes irritated.

The treatment of tennis elbow depends on how inflamed the tendon is. The goal is to relieve symptoms and help regain full use of the elbow.

Do you spend your days using a computer, sorting mail or assembling small parts? If your workplace duties put stress on your wrists, you may be at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Not all joint pain is caused by arthritis. Often joint or muscle pain is caused by problems with the structure around the joint, such as a tendon, bursa, ligament, or muscle.

A ganglion cyst is a firm, fluid-filled lump that can suddenly appear on the front or back of the wrist or at the base of a finger. These cysts grow from normal tissue in the wrist and fingers, and range in size from a pea to a peach pit.

If arthritis is diagnosed early, it often responds to treatment without surgery. Your doctor may put a splint on your thumb for 3–6 weeks. This limits movement and helps reduce the inflammation. You may also be given oral anti-inflammatory medication, such as aspirin.

Because of the ankle's crucial role in walking and standing, ankle injuries should be taken seriously and treated properly.

It might not make much of a storyline on a TV medical drama, but ankle sprains are one of the most common reasons for an emergency room visit.

The main source of most foot pain involves improper foot function or biomechanics. Shoes rarely cause foot deformities but may irritate them.

Mallet, hammer, and claw toes are among the most common foot problems. They are often caused by wearing shoes that are too short or heels that are too high.

Charcot foot is a pattern of bone and joint damage that can lead to foot deformity. Charcot foot begins with peripheral neuropathy, a disease of the nerves in the feet.

With plantar fasciitis, the bottom of your foot may hurt when you stand, especially first thing in the morning. Pain usually occurs on the inside of the foot, near the spot where your heel and arch meet.

If you keep pushing your muscles, damage to the tendons adds up and tendonitis develops. Pain and swelling may limit your activities. But with your doctor’s help, tendonitis can be controlled.

Bunions don't go away. Wwearing shoes that fit properly will often relieve the pain. Bunions that remain painful may need surgery.

Not all joint pain is caused by arthritis. Often joint or muscle pain is caused by problems with the structure around the joint, such as a tendon, bursa, ligament, or muscle.

If your symptoms are mild, medications may be enough to reduce pain and swelling. For more severe arthritis, surgery may be needed to improve the condition of the joint.

Years of wear and tear can be hard on your feet, as can shoes that don’t fit properly. Injuries and disorders of the feet can affect your mobility.

Heel pain has many possible causes. Learning about the symptoms can help you take care of your heels and prevent problems.

Pain in the lower leg can be caused by overuse, overexertion, or trauma from a fall or blow. The lower leg also can be affected by heart and circulatory diseases, such as congestive heart failure, or blood clots and inflammation in the veins of the legs.

RLS is a collection of symptoms generally described as unpleasant sensations and an urge to move the lower legs.

Stretching can keep your lower legs limber and your joints pain free.

If you are having problems with back pain, shin splints, knees, or hips, look to your feet. Although these ailments might seem totally unrelated to one another, they can sometimes be linked to problems that start with your feet and how they're built.

Active women are at least twice as likely to suffer serious knee injuries as men, but it's not just athletes who are at risk.

The ACL is most often stretched or torn (or both) by a sudden twisting motion -- when, for example, your feet are planted one way and your knees are turned another.

Knee injuries account for 25 percent of all sports-related injuries, but proper conditioning can help prevent them.

The knees are regularly under stress, not only from high-impact sports but also from everyday activities such as squatting, stooping, kneeling, and climbing stairs. The knees get bent, twisted, and occasionally banged into during sports.

Not all joint pain is caused by arthritis. Often joint or muscle pain is caused by problems with the structure around the joint, such as a tendon, bursa, ligament, or muscle.