Injury Illustration Briefs — Shoulder

Overview

This file collects illustration briefs for all ten shoulder injuries covered in InjuryAtlas. Every brief follows the same consistent visual style: clean, modern medical illustration, matte-clay 3D rendering style consistent with the InjuryAtlas 3D model, soft studio lighting, a neutral warm-grey background (#F0EDE8), a teal/blue highlight color (#2A9D8F) for the structure of interest, no faces or identifying features, a gender-neutral body, and labels set in clean sans-serif type (Inter or similar).

Each injury gets a healthy vs. injured comparison (side-by-side panels), a pain location map (a body silhouette with the typical pain zone shaded), and a relevant movement illustration (the motion that typically provokes or reveals the injury).

Rotator Cuff Tear — Healthy vs. Injured Comparison

• Subject: Two side-by-side panels of the rotator cuff tendon (supraspinatus) — left panel showing an intact tendon, right panel showing a torn tendon with a visible gap.
• Camera angle/pose: Posterior-superior three-quarter view, identical framing in both panels for easy comparison.
• Highlighted structures: Healthy tendon in teal/blue (left); torn tendon in teal/blue with the tear gap rendered in a muted red-orange accent (right), used sparingly and only to mark the tear itself, not as a fear-inducing color wash.
• Labels needed: "Healthy tendon," "Full-thickness tear," "Tear gap."
• Mood/purpose: Clear and factual, not alarming. The comparison should help readers understand tear anatomy without feeling frightening.

Rotator Cuff Tear — Pain Location Map

• Subject: Gender-neutral body silhouette, front and back view side by side.
• Camera angle/pose: Flat, front-facing and back-facing silhouette, arms at sides.
• Highlighted structures: Shaded zone in teal/blue over the top and outer upper arm region (front view primarily); light secondary shading for occasional referred discomfort down the outer arm.
• Labels needed: "Common pain zone," "Occasional referred discomfort (outer upper arm)."
• Mood/purpose: Simple and instantly scannable — readers should recognize their own pain pattern at a glance.

Rotator Cuff Tear — Relevant Movement Illustration

• Subject: A gender-neutral figure raising their arm overhead, shown at the point in the motion where pain typically occurs (mid-range abduction, often called the "painful arc").
• Camera angle/pose: Lateral (side) view, sequential silhouette showing arm position at rest, mid-raise, and full overhead.
• Highlighted structures: The mid-range "painful arc" zone marked with a soft teal glow around the shoulder.
• Labels needed: "Painful arc (roughly 60-120 degrees)."
• Mood/purpose: Practical and instructive, helping readers connect a specific movement to their symptoms.

Shoulder Impingement Syndrome — Healthy vs. Injured Comparison

• Subject: Two panels showing the subacromial space — left panel with normal spacing between the acromion and rotator cuff tendon, right panel with the space narrowed and the tendon compressed.
• Camera angle/pose: Coronal cross-section view, identical framing in both panels.
• Highlighted structures: Subacromial space in teal/blue (left, wide gap); narrowed space and compressed tendon in teal/blue with a subtle pinched visual effect (right).
• Labels needed: "Normal subacromial space," "Narrowed subacromial space," "Compressed tendon."
• Mood/purpose: Educational and clear, showing mechanism rather than damage — impingement is about space, not tissue destruction.

Shoulder Impingement Syndrome — Pain Location Map

• Subject: Gender-neutral body silhouette, front view.
• Camera angle/pose: Flat front-facing silhouette, arm at side.
• Highlighted structures: Shaded zone in teal/blue over the top and front of the shoulder.
• Labels needed: "Common pain zone (top/front of shoulder)."
• Mood/purpose: Clean and simple, matching the rotator cuff tear pain map style for visual consistency across related conditions.

Shoulder Impingement Syndrome — Relevant Movement Illustration

• Subject: A gender-neutral figure performing an overhead reaching motion, shown from behind, with the shoulder blade's rotation pattern indicated by motion lines.
• Camera angle/pose: Posterior-lateral three-quarter view, sequence of three positions (arm at side, arm at shoulder height, arm overhead).
• Highlighted structures: Scapula rotation path in teal/blue motion lines; subacromial space marked with a small glowing indicator at the shoulder-height position, where pinching is most likely.
• Labels needed: "Scapular rotation," "Point of likely compression."
• Mood/purpose: Show the mechanical relationship between shoulder blade movement and impingement, supporting the wall slides and posture-related content.

Subacromial Bursitis — Healthy vs. Injured Comparison

• Subject: Two panels showing the subacromial bursa — left panel with a normal, flat bursa, right panel with a swollen, inflamed bursa.
• Camera angle/pose: Sagittal (side) close-up view, identical framing in both panels.
• Highlighted structures: Bursa in teal/blue (left, flat); enlarged, inflamed bursa in teal/blue with a slightly deeper, saturated tone to suggest swelling (right).
• Labels needed: "Normal bursa," "Inflamed (swollen) bursa."
• Mood/purpose: Factual and non-alarming, emphasizing that this is a common, treatable form of irritation.

Subacromial Bursitis — Pain Location Map

• Subject: Gender-neutral body silhouette, front and side view.
• Camera angle/pose: Flat silhouette views, arm at side.
• Highlighted structures: Shaded zone in teal/blue over the top of the shoulder, slightly more localized than the impingement pain map.
• Labels needed: "Common pain zone (top of shoulder)."
• Mood/purpose: Help readers distinguish this pain pattern from the broader impingement pattern, even though the conditions overlap.

Subacromial Bursitis — Relevant Movement Illustration

• Subject: A gender-neutral figure lying on their side, shown with the affected shoulder compressed against a pillow.
• Camera angle/pose: Side view of a reclining figure.
• Highlighted structures: Compressed bursa area marked with a soft teal glow at the point of contact with the pillow.
• Labels needed: "Pressure point during side-lying."
• Mood/purpose: Connect the illustration to the common complaint of night pain when sleeping on the affected side.

Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder) — Healthy vs. Injured Comparison

• Subject: Two panels showing the joint capsule — left panel with a loose, flexible capsule allowing full motion, right panel with a thickened, tightened capsule restricting motion.
• Camera angle/pose: Anterior three-quarter view of the joint, identical framing in both panels.
• Highlighted structures: Capsule in teal/blue (left, thin and loose); thickened capsule in teal/blue with a denser, more opaque rendering to suggest stiffness (right).
• Labels needed: "Normal joint capsule," "Thickened, tightened capsule."
• Mood/purpose: Convey restriction and stiffness visually without implying permanent damage, since frozen shoulder typically improves over time.

Adhesive Capsulitis — Pain Location Map

• Subject: Gender-neutral body silhouette, front and back view.
• Camera angle/pose: Flat silhouette views, arm at side.
• Highlighted structures: Broad shaded zone in teal/blue covering the entire shoulder, front and back, reflecting the diffuse nature of frozen shoulder pain.
• Labels needed: "Diffuse pain zone (whole shoulder)."
• Mood/purpose: Communicate that this condition's pain is less localized than tendon-specific injuries.

Adhesive Capsulitis — Relevant Movement Illustration

• Subject: A gender-neutral figure attempting to raise their arm overhead and to reach behind their back, shown as two side-by-side restricted-motion poses compared to a full-range "ghost" outline.
• Camera angle/pose: Lateral view for the overhead reach, posterior view for the behind-the-back reach.
• Highlighted structures: Achieved range of motion in teal/blue solid figure; full normal range shown as a faint grey ghost outline for comparison.
• Labels needed: "Limited overhead reach," "Limited reach behind back," "Normal range (reference)."
• Mood/purpose: Show restriction clearly and empathetically, framing it as a temporary limitation rather than a permanent loss.

Shoulder Dislocation — Healthy vs. Injured Comparison

• Subject: Two panels showing the glenohumeral joint — left panel with the humeral head centered in the socket, right panel with the humeral head displaced out of the socket (anterior dislocation, the most common type).
• Camera angle/pose: Anterior view of the joint, identical framing in both panels.
• Highlighted structures: Humeral head and socket in teal/blue (left, aligned); displaced humeral head in teal/blue, shown clearly outside the socket outline (right).
• Labels needed: "Normal joint alignment," "Anterior dislocation."
• Mood/purpose: Clear and informative without being graphic — this is a visually dramatic injury, so restraint in styling is especially important here.

Shoulder Dislocation — Pain Location Map

• Subject: Gender-neutral body silhouette, front view, with the arm shown held slightly away from the body (a typical protective posture after dislocation).
• Camera angle/pose: Flat front-facing silhouette.
• Highlighted structures: Shaded zone in teal/blue covering the entire shoulder joint area, with a secondary lighter shading extending down the upper arm.
• Labels needed: "Primary pain zone," "Possible numbness/tingling zone (if nerve involved)."
• Mood/purpose: Include the nerve-related symptom zone clearly, since this ties to red-flag warning content on the injury page.

Shoulder Dislocation — Relevant Movement Illustration

• Subject: A gender-neutral figure with the arm raised and rotated outward and backward (the classic mechanism of an anterior dislocation, such as during a fall or an awkward throw).
• Camera angle/pose: Anterior-lateral three-quarter view, sequence showing the arm moving into the position of risk.
• Highlighted structures: Joint area marked with a soft teal glow at the position of greatest instability risk.
• Labels needed: "Position of increased instability risk (abduction + external rotation)."
• Mood/purpose: Educational, showing the mechanism rather than the moment of injury itself, to keep the tone practical rather than dramatic.

Labral Tear / SLAP Lesion — Healthy vs. Injured Comparison

• Subject: Two panels showing the glenoid labrum — left panel with an intact labral ring, right panel with a tear at the top (superior) portion of the labrum, where SLAP lesions occur.
• Camera angle/pose: Direct lateral view looking into the socket, identical framing in both panels.
• Highlighted structures: Labrum in teal/blue (left, continuous ring); torn labrum in teal/blue with a small separation shown at the superior point (right).
• Labels needed: "Intact labrum," "Superior labral tear (SLAP lesion)," "Biceps tendon attachment point."
• Mood/purpose: Precise and educational, given how often this injury is misunderstood; the biceps tendon attachment should be visible since SLAP lesions often involve it.

Labral Tear / SLAP Lesion — Pain Location Map

• Subject: Gender-neutral body silhouette, front view.
• Camera angle/pose: Flat front-facing silhouette, arm at side.
• Highlighted structures: Shaded zone in teal/blue deep within the shoulder joint (rendered slightly more internal/central than surface-level injuries to suggest deep joint pain).
• Labels needed: "Deep joint pain zone."
• Mood/purpose: Communicate that this pain often feels deep and hard to pinpoint, distinguishing it from more surface-level tendon pain.

Labral Tear / SLAP Lesion — Relevant Movement Illustration

• Subject: A gender-neutral figure in a throwing motion, shown at the "cocking" phase (arm back, elbow bent, shoulder rotated), a common provoking position.
• Camera angle/pose: Lateral three-quarter view, mid-throw pose.
• Highlighted structures: Joint area marked with a soft teal glow at the position of peak labral stress.
• Labels needed: "Cocking phase (peak labral stress)."
• Mood/purpose: Connect the illustration to the overhead-athlete prevention content, reinforcing why throwing athletes are a key at-risk group.

Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint Injury — Healthy vs. Injured Comparison

• Subject: Two panels showing the AC joint — left panel with normal alignment, right panel with a visible "step-off" where the clavicle sits higher than the acromion (a separated AC joint).
• Camera angle/pose: Anterior-superior three-quarter view, identical framing in both panels.
• Highlighted structures: AC joint in teal/blue (left, flush alignment); separated joint in teal/blue with the clavicle end raised and a visible gap (right).
• Labels needed: "Normal AC joint alignment," "AC joint separation (step deformity)."
• Mood/purpose: Clear and specific — this visible deformity is a hallmark sign, so accuracy in showing the "step" is important.

Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint Injury — Pain Location Map

• Subject: Gender-neutral body silhouette, front view, close-up on the top of the shoulder.
• Camera angle/pose: Flat front-facing silhouette, zoomed to the shoulder-top region.
• Highlighted structures: Small, precise shaded zone in teal/blue directly over the top of the shoulder at the AC joint.
• Labels needed: "Localized pain zone (top of shoulder)."
• Mood/purpose: Emphasize precision and small size of the pain zone, since AC joint pain is typically very localized compared to rotator cuff pain.

Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint Injury — Relevant Movement Illustration

• Subject: A gender-neutral figure reaching across the body (horizontal adduction), a classic provoking movement for AC joint pain.
• Camera angle/pose: Anterior three-quarter view, arm moving across the chest.
• Highlighted structures: AC joint marked with a soft teal glow at the point of compression during the cross-body motion.
• Labels needed: "Cross-body compression point."
• Mood/purpose: Practical, showing a movement readers will recognize from daily life (like reaching for a seatbelt).

Biceps Tendinopathy — Healthy vs. Injured Comparison

• Subject: Two panels showing the long head of the biceps tendon — left panel with a smooth, healthy tendon, right panel with a thickened, frayed-looking tendon consistent with tendinopathy.
• Camera angle/pose: Anterior view of the tendon in the bicipital groove, identical framing in both panels.
• Highlighted structures: Tendon in teal/blue (left, smooth and uniform); tendon in teal/blue with a slightly roughened, thickened texture (right).
• Labels needed: "Healthy tendon," "Thickened/irritated tendon."
• Mood/purpose: Show gradual tissue change rather than a dramatic injury, matching the overuse nature of this condition.

Biceps Tendinopathy — Pain Location Map

• Subject: Gender-neutral body silhouette, front view.
• Camera angle/pose: Flat front-facing silhouette, arm at side.
• Highlighted structures: Narrow shaded zone in teal/blue running down the front of the shoulder into the upper arm, tracing the bicipital groove.
• Labels needed: "Pain zone (front of shoulder into upper arm)."
• Mood/purpose: Show the elongated, tracking nature of this pain pattern, distinct from the more localized rotator cuff zones.

Biceps Tendinopathy — Relevant Movement Illustration

• Subject: A gender-neutral figure performing a forward arm raise with the palm facing up, a movement that loads the biceps tendon.
• Camera angle/pose: Lateral view, sequence from arm at side to arm raised to shoulder height.
• Highlighted structures: Bicipital groove area marked with a soft teal glow throughout the motion.
• Labels needed: "Tendon loading zone."
• Mood/purpose: Practical and instructive, tying the illustration to a movement readers can test gently themselves.

Rotator Cuff Tendinitis — Healthy vs. Injured Comparison

• Subject: Two panels showing the supraspinatus tendon — left panel with a smooth, normal tendon, right panel with a slightly thickened, inflamed tendon (without the visible tear gap used in the rotator cuff tear brief, to visually distinguish the two conditions).
• Camera angle/pose: Posterior-superior three-quarter view, identical framing in both panels.
• Highlighted structures: Tendon in teal/blue (left, smooth); tendon in teal/blue with a subtly thickened, slightly redder-warm undertone suggesting inflammation, but no gap (right).
• Labels needed: "Healthy tendon," "Inflamed tendon (tendinitis) — no tear present."
• Mood/purpose: Important to visually distinguish from the rotator cuff tear brief so readers understand this is irritation, not structural damage.

Rotator Cuff Tendinitis — Pain Location Map

• Subject: Gender-neutral body silhouette, front view.
• Camera angle/pose: Flat front-facing silhouette, arm at side.
• Highlighted structures: Shaded zone in teal/blue over the top and front of the shoulder, similar in placement to impingement but slightly smaller and more localized to the tendon itself.
• Labels needed: "Common pain zone (top/front of shoulder)."
• Mood/purpose: Visually similar to the impingement pain map, reflecting how closely related these two conditions are, with only subtle differences in emphasis.

Rotator Cuff Tendinitis — Relevant Movement Illustration

• Subject: A gender-neutral figure performing repeated overhead reaching (three sequential poses suggesting repetition, like reaching to a shelf multiple times).
• Camera angle/pose: Lateral three-quarter view, repeated motion sequence.
• Highlighted structures: Tendon area marked with a soft teal glow that appears slightly more saturated with each repetition, subtly suggesting cumulative irritation.
• Labels needed: "Repeated overhead loading."
• Mood/purpose: Reinforce the overuse mechanism (repetition over time) rather than a single traumatic event.

Shoulder Osteoarthritis — Healthy vs. Injured Comparison

• Subject: Two panels showing the glenohumeral joint surfaces — left panel with smooth, evenly spaced cartilage, right panel with worn, thinned cartilage and a narrowed joint space.
• Camera angle/pose: Coronal cross-section view of the joint, identical framing in both panels.
• Highlighted structures: Cartilage surfaces in teal/blue (left, smooth and even); worn cartilage in teal/blue with visible thinning and a narrowed gap between bones (right).
• Labels needed: "Healthy joint space and cartilage," "Narrowed joint space, worn cartilage."
• Mood/purpose: Calm and factual, framing this as a gradual, common, age-related change rather than a frightening diagnosis.

Shoulder Osteoarthritis — Pain Location Map

• Subject: Gender-neutral body silhouette, front and back view.
• Camera angle/pose: Flat silhouette views, arm at side.
• Highlighted structures: Broad shaded zone in teal/blue covering the entire shoulder joint, front and back, reflecting the deep, joint-wide nature of arthritic pain.
• Labels needed: "Deep joint-wide pain zone."
• Mood/purpose: Show a diffuse pattern similar to frozen shoulder, but paired with the joint cross-section for context, helping readers distinguish the two by mechanism rather than pain location alone.

Shoulder Osteoarthritis — Relevant Movement Illustration

• Subject: A gender-neutral figure moving their arm slowly through a small, limited range of motion, shown with subtle motion lines suggesting stiffness rather than smooth movement.
• Camera angle/pose: Lateral view, limited-range motion sequence.
• Highlighted structures: Joint marked with a soft teal glow throughout the limited movement, with small radiating lines suggesting grinding or crepitus.
• Labels needed: "Limited, stiff range of motion," "Crepitus (grinding sensation)."
• Mood/purpose: Convey gradual stiffness and grinding sensation without implying pain during all movement, consistent with the variable nature of arthritis symptoms.

References

• Mayo Clinic. "Rotator cuff injury." https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rotator-cuff-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20350225
• OrthoInfo (AAOS). "Rotator Cuff Tears." https://www.orthoinfo.org/en/diseases--conditions/rotator-cuff-tears/
• Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine. "Optimal management of shoulder impingement syndrome." https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3945046/
• PubMed. "Subacromial bursitis: current evidence and future directions." https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42139015/
• Mayo Clinic. "Frozen shoulder." https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/frozen-shoulder/symptoms-causes/syc-20372684
• OrthoInfo (AAOS). "Shoulder Dislocation." https://www.orthoinfo.org/diseases--conditions/dislocated-shoulder/
• StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf). "Superior Labrum Anterior Posterior Lesions." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538284/
• OrthoInfo (AAOS). "Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint Injuries (Separated Shoulder)." https://www.orthoinfo.org/en/diseases--conditions/acromioclavicular-ac-joint-injuries-separated-shoulder/
• Cleveland Clinic. "Bicep Tendonitis: Pain, Causes, Side Effects & Treatment." https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/bicep-tendonitis
• Cleveland Clinic. "Rotator Cuff Tendinitis." https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24176-rotator-cuff-tendinitis
• OrthoInfo (AAOS). "Arthritis of the Shoulder." https://www.orthoinfo.org/en/diseases--conditions/arthritis-of-the-shoulder/