What are common signs of a rotator cuff or shoulder instability injury?

• A. Pain with overhead activity, weakness, decreased ROM, and possible instability or gives way; positive special tests
• B. Pain in the knee, swelling of the ankle, fever
• C. Shortness of breath and chest pain
• D. Headache and visual changes

Answer: (A)

Pain with overhead activity, weakness, and decreased range of motion reflect the shoulder being irritated or injured, often from a rotator cuff tear or tendinopathy and from instability of the glenohumeral joint. The sensation of instability or the shoulder giving way happens when the stabilizing structures are compromised, so the joint feels unsteady during movement. Positive special tests are clinical maneuvers that reliably reproduce the same painful or weak response, helping confirm a problem with the rotator cuff or with shoulder stability. The other options describe symptoms that aren’t related to the shoulder (knee and ankle issues, cardiopulmonary symptoms, or headaches with visual changes), so they don’t fit this scenario.