Shoulder Impingement
The shoulder is a ball and socket joint and almost everything we do with our hands and arms depends on how well our shoulders are functioning. About 36% of the general population are affected by shoulder disorders. The shoulder is a fascinating joint with 180 degrees of motion, which relies on dynamic movement control in order in order to function well. There are many causes of shoulder pain and today we will be going over one of the most common causes: shoulder impingement syndrome.
A Quick Anatomy Overview
Your shoulder is made up of three bones: your upper arm bone (humerus), your shoulder blade (scapula), and your collarbone (clavicle). Your arm is kept in your shoulder socket by your rotator cuff. These muscles and tendons form a covering around the head of your upper arm bone and attach it to your shoulder blade. There is a lubricating sac called a bursa between the rotator cuff and the bone on top of your shoulder (acromion). The bursa allows the rotator cuff tendons to glide freely when you move your arm.
What is impingement?
When you raise your arm to shoulder height, the space between the acromion and rotator cuff narrows. The acromion can rub against (or "impinge" on) the tendon and the bursa, causing irritation and pain.
Common causes of impingement include:
Overuse or trauma
Mobility deficit,
Muscle imbalances
Scapular dyskinesis
Poor postural awareness and control
Structural changes
Symptoms of shoulder impingement may include:
Restricted shoulder motion with weakness in motions, such as reaching overhead, behind the body, or out to the side.
Pain in the shoulder when lifting the overhead, out to the side, and beside the body
Pain and discomfort when attempting to sleep on the involved side
Pain with throwing motions and other dynamic movements
3 Exercises to Treat Shoulder Impingement
Active-assisted range of motion (4:22 in the video below)
2. Standing shoulder internal rotation with resistance band (5:18 in the video below)
3. Sidelying shoulder external rotation (6:40 in the video below)
When should you seek medical attention?
It is important to get proper treatment for shoulder impingement as soon as it occurs. Secondary conditions can result from the impingement of the tissues in the shoulder, including irritation of the bursa and rotator-cuff tendinitis or tears.
Physical therapy can be very successful in treating shoulder impingement syndrome. You will work with your physical therapist to devise a treatment plan that is specific to your condition and goals. Your individual treatment program may include pain management, manual therapy, range of motion exercises, strengthening, and patient education.
Shoulder impingement syndrome can be prevented by:
Maintaining proper strength in the shoulder and shoulder-blade muscles.
Regularly stretching the shoulders, neck, and middle-back region.
Maintaining proper posture and shoulder alignment when performing reaching and throwing motions.
Avoiding forward-head and rounded-shoulder postures (being hunched over) when spending long periods of time sitting at a desk or computer.
The end goal of ensuring your pain doesn’t return is a longer process and requires dedication from yourself and us to make sure the changes we make early on stay in place for time to come. We are here to help you every step of the way.
Contact us today if you are experiencing shoulder pain.
Written by Daniel Le, DPT