Subacromial Impingement

Subacromial impingement is this week’s focus and the most important aspect of treating this diagnosis is getting to the bottom of what is causing it. Shoulder impingement syndrome is the most common shoulder disorder. It accounts for between 44-65% of all shoulder pain complaints. It becomes more common with increasing age and with peak incidence in patient’s 60s. Common impingement symptoms include: patient older than 40, non-traumatic onset, painful arc between 70 – 120 degrees, pain lying on affected side, and gradual worsening of symptoms.

The term impingement is just a fancy way to describe the mechanism of injury which is the pinching of a tendon, but it isn’t actually a diagnosis. A reduction of the subacromial space occurs and can be due to numerous factors including:

- Bony factors: humeral head or shape of the acromion

- Soft tissue factors: tight posterior capsule, coracoacromial ligament, or decreased flexibility of internal rotators

- Poor neuromuscular control: rotator cuff musculature, scapular stabilizers, recruitment patterns, endurance of musculature

Common physical findings of subacromial impingement include:

-Painful arc between 70-120 degrees of abduction

-Decreased shoulder ROM

-Shoulder weakness

-Tight posterior capsule

Once the cause of impingement is identified, a step-by-step approach to address them is implemented. As a manual therapist, initially my focus is more hands-on to improve capsular mobility and increased ROM while also instructing the patient in activity modifications, stretches, and light strengthening to improve overall function. As the underlying mechanism of the impingement is address, the treatment approach focuses more on strengthening to prevent reoccurrence of the impingement later on. Make sure to check out our Facebook or Instagram this week for a few of our shoulder strengthening exercises.

If you are interested in learning more or about treatment options, don’t hesitate to call/text 701-318-4731 or email connectptnd@gmail.com to learn how we can help. Don’t forget to follow on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on the happenings at Connect Physical Therapy.