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URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/19623.htm
Shoulder joint
Overview
The shoulder joint is a ball-and-socket joint and is the most freely moving joint of the body. The shoulder joint can move in multiple directions therefore it is less stable than other joints and is more susceptible to injury. Dislocation of the shoulder joint is common and occurs when the top part of arm bone slips out of its socket.
Review Date 6/27/2026
Updated by: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dr. Peter and Sophie Pappas Endowed Chair, V-nee Yeh Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
