Doctors took a look at man's painful shoulder—they found the joint was missing
A 45-year-old construction worker was diagnosed with Milwaukee Shoulder Syndrome after experiencing severe pain and swelling. Medical imaging revealed that his shoulder joint had completely disintegrated, leaving the humerus detached from the socket.
Why it matters
This case highlights the severity of rare degenerative joint conditions and the importance of diagnostic imaging in identifying structural failures.
Gone Doctors took a look at man’s painful shoulder—they found the joint was missing The term “Milwaukee Should Syndrome” was coined in 1981, based on cases in four women.
11 A rendering of a normal human shoulder joint and bones. Credit: Getty | libre de droit A rendering of a normal human shoulder joint and bones. Credit: Getty | libre de droit Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav A 45-year-old construction worker went to the emergency department for his right shoulder, which was extremely swollen and becoming progressively more painful. Doctors took an X-ray to try to see what was causing the problem. But when the images came through, it was what they didn’t see that explained the situation: His entire shoulder joint was gone, seemingly blasted apart into small, lingering pieces.
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