Because a shoulder of beef or mutton is less esteemed than other parts of the carcass, that cut of meat was once reserved for house guests whose presence had become tiresome. If the guests did not get the hint and leave, the same shoulder—this time served cold—would be presented to them the next day at dinner as a way of saying, “Here’s your hat, thanks for coming.” Out of this practice arose the expression to give someone the cold shoulder, first recorded in the early nineteenth century. The word shoulder itself derives from a Germanic source that may also have given rise to the word shield, the connection being that the shoulder blades of many mammals, including humans, are broad, flat, and therefore shieldlike.
A joint where the top of the arm joins the main part of the body.
The joint formed by the upper end of the humerus and the shoulder-blade or scapula. The acromion process of the scapula and the outer end of the collar-bone form a protective bony arch above the joint, and from this arch the wide and thick deltoid muscle passes downwards, protecting the outer surface of the joint and giving to the shoulder its rounded character. The joint itself is of the ball-and-socket variety, the rounded head of the humerus being received into the hollow glenoid cavity of the scapula, which is further deepened by a rim of cartilage. One tendon of the biceps muscle passes through the joint, grooving the humerus deeply, and being attached to the upper edge of the glenoid cavity. The joint is surrounded by a loose fibrous capsule, strengthened at certain places by ligamentous bands. The main strength of the joint comes from the powerful muscles that unite the upper arm with the scapula, clavicle and ribs.
The region of the proximal humerus, clavicle, and scapula; a part of the shoulder girdle complex.
The shoulder, a retail cut of meat known as “chuck” in beef cuts, can be further categorized into two sections: those from the arm and those from the blade.
The region of the body where the arm connects to the torso is known as the shoulder. The curved bony surface located on the front side of the shoulder comprises the upper section of the humerus, which is the bone of the upper arm. The bony surfaces that constitute the upper and posterior parts of the shoulder belong to the scapula, commonly referred to as the shoulder blade. The collarbone, also known as the clavicle, joins with the acromion, the bony prominence situated at the outer and upper portion of the scapula, at a junction called the acromioclavicular joint. This collarbone then extends across the upper chest to connect with the breastbone, or sternum, at a junction called the sternoclavicular joint.
Just beneath the acromion, located on the outer surface of the scapula, there exists a socket referred to as the glenoid cavity. This socket is where the head of the humerus fits snugly, creating the shoulder joint. A bursa, which is a sac filled with fluid, is positioned beneath the acromion to minimize friction within the joint. The shoulder joint is classified as a ball-and-socket joint, providing the broadest range of motion among all joints. Various components contribute to this movement, including a portion of the biceps muscle, a group of small muscles forming the rotator cuff, several muscles within the chest wall, and the deltoid muscle situated at the uppermost part of the upper arm and shoulder.
Injuries to the shoulder are quite frequent, encompassing instances like the dislocation of the shoulder joint or the acromioclavicular joint, as well as fractures occurring in the clavicle or the upper region of the humerus. Comparatively, fractures of the scapula are less frequently encountered.
The integrity of the shoulder joint can be compromised by various joint-related issues, such as arthritis or bursitis (inflammation of a bursa). In more serious instances, these joint problems might progress to frozen shoulder, a condition marked by severely limited joint mobility. Furthermore, discomfort and constrained movement in the shoulder can result from tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon). Tendinitis or bursitis can also give rise to a painful arc syndrome, where raising the arm to the side induces pain.