Small bones protruding from the sides of the shoulder are normal bony protrusions in the vast majority of cases. There are a number of very distinct bony landmarks in the shoulder, and if the patient is thin or looks closely, the raised bony landmarks will be visible. For example, in the shoulder there may be a series of bony landmarks such as the acromion end of the clavicle, the acromion, the scapular post, and the rostral eminence. These markings often show up very clearly when the patient shrugs the shoulder or does a certain body position. If the patient is thin and has thin subcutaneous fat, these bony prominences will be more clearly seen. If the patient does not feel that he or she is able to determine if this is normal, it is recommended that the patient can visit an orthopedic surgeon for help with the examination. Also in rare cases, abnormal bony prominences may develop here due to shoulder trauma, inflammation, infection, tumors, etc.