The shoulder impingement syndrome manifests itself through a number of characteristic chronic complaints, particularly frequently a significant pain occurs when the shoulder is abducted between 60° and 120°. These complaints are usually caused by the fact that the space between the head of the shoulder and the acromion has become too narrow and the tendon of the supraspinatus muscle is trapped underneath when the arm is abducted. Due to age-related changes and wear and tear, this tendon can become particularly brittle and store calcium, which can lead to it finally tearing under stress. In most cases, a shoulder impingement syndrome begins with pain when under heavy strain, and later a pain at rest can occur.
Treatment
The treatment depends on the duration and intensity of the complaints, the resulting limitations and the individual requirements of everyday life. Basically, the treatment options can be divided into conservative therapy and operative therapy.
- Conservative therapy, which means that surgery is not performed, can include physiotherapy and physical therapy, but also pain medication or the local application of cortisone under the acromion using cortisone injections.
- If the possibilities of conservative therapy are exhausted and the symptoms persist and become progressively more severe, surgical therapy may be considered.
Pain
Pain is one of the most important symptoms to diagnose shoulder impingement syndrome. Pain is particularly frequent when the arm is spread between 60° and 120°, as the space between the acromion and the humeral head is particularly narrow in this area and the tendons located there can come under compression. At the beginning, the pain usually occurs only during or after more severe loading of the shoulder, and later on pain may occur at rest.
The pain can only be eliminated by reducing the compression under the acromion. This can be achieved by manual therapy, physiotherapy or surgery, for example. In physical therapy, massages, heat applications or electrotherapy can help to relieve the pain. In addition, anti-inflammatory pain medication can be used, but this should not be seen as a long-term therapy, as it can have negative effects on the protective layer of the stomach lining, for example.
