Normal Shoulder

The shoulder is the connection between the thorax and upper arm which is composed of two osseous articulations, the glenohumeral and acromioclavicular joints. The glenohumeral joint is a ball-and-socket joint which provides for a wide range of motion and is stabilized by multiple ligamentous, tendinous, and muscular structures. The following chapter provides an overview of the basic anatomy including the major ligaments, tendons, muscles, and capsulolabral complex as well as the imaging modalities and technical aspects utilized to visualize these complex structures.