Synonyms
Tendinosis calcarea, Tendinitis calcarea
Definition
A lime shoulder is a shoulder in which lime has been deposited. This occurs most frequently in the area of the tendon of the supraspinatus muscle, but in principle it can also affect any other tendon of the shoulder muscles. The result is an inflammatory process in the shoulder joint, which can lead to severe pain.
Epidemiology
The typical time at which a calcified shoulder becomes noticeable is between the ages of 35 and 50, although it is difficult to say when it has really developed, as many patients only develop symptoms several years after the onset of the disease. On average, women are affected slightly more frequently than men.
Causes
There are various causes that can be considered for a calcified shoulder. These include external influences such as:
- Excessive mechanical stress (e.g. in certain sports or other work that places heavy demands on the shoulder in everyday life and/or at work)
- Accidents or falls
- Tears in one of the shoulder tendons
- But also endogenous processes such as weak tissue perfusion or
- Degenerative processes in the context of aging processes
The psyche plays an important role in the development of many diseases. So also the shoulder movement can be limited by the psyche, over a bad attitude. Calcifications, which are caused by the psyche, are however improbable. A pain symptomatology can however be aggravated by psychological problems.
How is the calcified shoulder created?
The process that can be caused by all these different causes is ultimately the same: The tissue of the corresponding area is not sufficiently supplied with blood. As a result, the tissue of the tendon is transformed into fibrous cartilage. Later, when this fibrocartilage dies, it can happen that calcium is deposited in this area.
If this “calcification” is pronounced, the tendon swells up and can press on surrounding structures, such as bursae or tendons of the surrounding muscles, which ultimately leads to inflammation and, in the context of this, ultimately to pain. This swelling can also lead to a lack of space within the joint and thus to the collision of its components, which is known as impingement syndrome, which almost always goes hand in hand with a calcified shoulder. Sometimes, however, it also happens that the body resorbs the calcification by itself, the calcification deposit dissolves and disappears again unnoticed. Because of the rather high spontaneous healing rate of this disease, it is also very important to always weigh up the therapy options carefully. Why calcifications form in people and not in others with a comparable risk profile is not yet fully understood.
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