Introduction
The term impingement is the English translation for collision. This is exactly what happens in the impingement syndrome: Due to a lack of space in the joint, two bones (in principle possible at any point of the body, but typically in the impingement syndrome we are talking about the shoulder joint) permanently collide with each other, which can result in limited mobility on the one hand and severe pain on the other. Anything that restricts the space within the joint can ultimately lead to impingement syndrome.
How does the impingement syndrome develop?
Most frequently, the impingement syndrome is caused by degenerative changes (wear and tear) or a jamming of the joint capsule or the tendons involved in the joint or a permanent overloading of the joint. Especially athletes often suffer from impingement syndrome. This is due to the fact that when the shoulder is overstressed (as may be the case in sports such as swimming or throwing), the tendon of the supraspinatus muscle thickens.
This tendon runs through the shoulder joint and reduces the interior of the joint by increasing its volume, so that bone structures, muscles or bursae become constricted and rub against each other. In the context of osteoarthritis (a chronic degenerative disease), bony attachments can occur, which also restrict the space in the joint. This is regularly accompanied by circulatory disorders, which further promote the development of an inflammatory reaction and subsequent pain.
Other triggers for impingement syndrome can be fractures of the humerus, which are followed by bones or bone parts that lead to the constriction of certain structures. Chronic inflammatory processes can also cause the typical symptoms. For reasons that cannot be explained, many people develop deposits of calcium in joints or in the tendons themselves over time, especially on the Schutler.
These calcium deposits can also be the cause of an impingement syndrome. It is also not uncommon for a combination of the various risk factors to be present until a symptomatic impingement syndrome finally develops.
