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Subacrominal Impingement

Date:
By Tommy

 

Is a painful shoulder condition that is most commonly found in over head athletes such as swimmers, surfers, volleyball players, tennis players, and throwing sports due to repetitive trauma of the supraspinatus or bursa that lies in the subacromial space which is the space between the bone of your upper arm (Humerus) and the bump at the end of your shoulder blade (acromion process). This doesn’t just occur in athletes it can also affect workers that perform lots of overhead activities such as painters, builders, auto mechanics, etc.

 

SAI

 

This condition is also common as we get older. If we develop poor posture this results in decreased joint space, poor movement patterns between the arm and shoulder blade as well as weakness of the rotator cuff muscles.

I have also seen it in the gym junkies that focus on the big muscles groups and neglect the smaller stabilisers which results in a muscle imbalance.

This condition does not present like a normal muscle strain with a specific mechanism of injury like lifting something to heavy then experiencing pain. It starts out as a dull ache or discomfort performing over head activities such as hanging clothes on the line, putting things up in the cupboard, or doing your hair. The pain gradually gets worse and patients typically complain of a pinching type shoulder pain when that have to do things above shoulder level.

Treatment of this condition involves pain management in the initial stages. Offload the irritated structures by avoiding activities above shoulder level, ice, soft tissue massage, dry needling, and/or ultrasound. Followed by postural correction and scapular control exercises to improve mechanics. As well as rotator cuff strengthening exercises and gradual return to sport or leisure over head activities.