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Shoulder impingement syndrome is caused by the compression or “impingement” of the rotator-cuff tendons in the shoulder, which causes pain and movement issues. An injury to the shoulder might also cause it. Manual labourers and athletes who raise their arms frequently overhead (i.e., weightlifters and baseball pitchers) are at the highest risk of acquiring a shoulder impingement. Its development can also be aided by poor posture. A shoulder impingement, if left untreated, can develop into a more serious condition, such as a rotator cuff tear. Physiotherapists at Physiotouch Courtice can help clients with shoulder impingements reduce pain and increase shoulder motion and strength.
What is Shoulder Impingement?
Shoulder impingement syndrome occurs when the rotator-cuff tendons in the shoulder are overworked or damaged, resulting in pain and limited movement. Because the tendons, ligaments, and bursa under the “acromion” can get pinched or squeezed, shoulder impingement syndrome is sometimes known as “sub-acromial” impingement syndrome. The humerus, scapula, and clavicle are the three bones that make up the shoulder. The acromion is a bony projection on the top of the scapula that feels like a hump near the shoulder’s tip.
The bursa and the rotator cuff tendon are located beneath the acromion. The bursa is a fluid-filled sac that sits beneath the acromion and acts as a cushion between the bone acromion and the rotator cuff tendon. It can get squeezed. Compression and microtrauma to the tendons can cause impingement symptoms.
Shoulder impingement syndrome can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Repetitive overhead movements, such as golfing, throwing, racquet sports, and swimming, or frequent overhead reaching or lifting.
- Injury, such as a fall, where the shoulder gets compressed.
- Bony abnormalities of the acromion, which narrow the subacromial space.
- Osteoarthritis in the shoulder region.
- Poor rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscle strength, causing the humeral head to move abnormally.
- Thickening of the bursa.
- Thickening of the ligaments in the area.
- Tightness of the soft tissue around the shoulder joint called the joint capsule.
Signs and Symptoms of Shoulder Impingement
Individuals with shoulder impingement may experience:
- Restriction in shoulder motion with associated weakness in movement patterns, such as reaching overhead, behind the body, or out to the side.
- Pain in the shoulder when moving the arm 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 movement patterns.
Diagnosis
At Physiotouch Courtice, a physiotherapist will do an assessment and ask you questions about your pain and other symptoms. Your physiotherapist may do shoulder strength and mobility tests, inquire about your job responsibilities and interests, assess your posture, and look for muscle imbalances and weakness in the shoulder and scapular muscles.
To discover which tendons are affected, special tests involving moderate movements of your arm and shoulder may be conducted. Other disorders that could be causing your discomfort, such as bony spurs or deformities, or arthritis, may be detected via X-rays.
Shoulder Impingement Treatment
It’s critical to seek treatment for shoulder impingement as soon as possible. Impingement of the tissues in the shoulder can cause secondary diseases such as bursa irritation and rotator-cuff tendonitis or tears.
Shoulder impingement condition can be effectively treated with physiotherapy. At Physiotouch Courtice, you’ll collaborate with your physiotherapist to create a treatment plan that’s tailored to your individual needs and goals. The following items may be included in your individualised treatment plan:
Pain Management
Your physiotherapist will help you identify and avoid painful movements, as well as correct abnormal postures to reduce impingement compression. Therapeutic modalities, like iontophoresis (medication delivered through an electrically charged patch) and ultrasound may be applied. Ice may also be helpful to reduce pain.
Manual Therapy
Your physiotherapist may use manual techniques, such as gentle joint movements, soft-tissue massage, and shoulder stretches to get your shoulder moving properly, so that the tendons and bursa avoid impingement.
Range-of-Motion Exercises
You will learn exercises and stretches to help your shoulder and shoulder blade move properly, so you can return to reaching and lifting without pain.
Strengthening Exercises
Your physiotherapist at Equilibrium Therapy Centre Wandsworth will determine which strengthening exercises are right for you, depending on your specific condition. Often with shoulder impingement syndrome, the head of the humorous tends to drift forward and upward due to the rotator-cuff muscles becoming weak. Strengthening the rotator-cuff and scapular muscles helps position the head of the humorous bone down and back to ease the impingement. You may also perform resistance training exercises to strengthen your weaker muscles. You will receive a home-exercise program to continue your strengthening long after you have completed your formal physiotherapy.
Patient Education
Learning proper posture is an important part of rehabilitation. For example, when your shoulders roll forward as you lean over a computer, the tendons in the front of the shoulder can become impinged. Your physiotherapist will work with you to help improve your posture, and may suggest adjustments to your work station and work habits.
Functional Training
As your symptoms improve, your physiotherapist at Equilibrium Therapy Centre Wandsworth will teach you how to correctly perform a range of functions using proper shoulder mechanics, such as lifting an object onto a shelf or throwing a ball. This training will help you return to pain-free function on the job, at home, and when playing sports.
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What to Expect on Your First Visit:
- At Physiotouch Courtice, you will register with our friendly front office staff.
- A comprehensive assessment by a Physiotherapist or other Health Care Provider will take you through a detailed history of your major physical concern, assessment of your range of motion and strength, as well as a variety of special tests specific to your injury or dysfunction. These assessment findings are analyzed and used to create a clinical impression. This will help us to better identifying and understanding your problem and formulating an effective treatment plan tailored specifically for your needs and to achieve the realistic goals. This treatment plan could involve a number of things including therapeutic exercises, therapeutic modalities, manual mobilizations, massage, patient and family education, activity modification, home exercise programs, supervised exercise programs and many others.
- There will be some treatments performed the first day to get you started on your path to recovery. However, during the next visits you will get into all aspects of your treatment plan.
- Our staff will help you scheduling your next visits at Physiotouch Courtice as per treatment plan recommended by related Health Care Provider. We offer many convenient appointment times, however, prime times can become busy, so it is best to book ahead as much as possible.
- If you have any questions at any time, please do not hesitate to call. We want to ensure your satisfaction and full recovery.
Before Your First Visit
- You will receive a confirmation email shortly after booking your appointment.
- This email will contain some forms which you can fill out and sign from your device in handy.
- If you have any questions, ask us before signing the form.
- If you are not able to access the forms online, please arrive 15 minutes early for your first appointment so that we can help you with the paperwork.
- Make a list of questions that you want to discuss on your first visit.
- Bring with you if you have any imaging reports (i.e.) X-rays, Ultrasound/MRI (etc.) and doctor’s referral.
- Bring with you a copy of your insurance card and a photo ID.