This article will explain the causes, symptoms, treatment, and surgical methods for shoulder impingement syndrome. If you feel pain and a 'pop' sound when you raise your arm above your shoulder to stretch or put on clothes, you may need to consider shoulder impingement syndrome. Please read this post carefully and wish you a speedy recovery.

Causes of Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

Shoulder impingement syndrome is a type of shoulder injury that causes pain and limited movement due to shoulder joint damage. The causes of this syndrome are diverse, but it is mainly caused by repetitive movements or incorrect posture.

Sports injuries or excessive shoulder use during sports activities can cause this syndrome. It can also occur if you have a job or activity that requires you to constantly lift your shoulders or move them forward. It can also occur due to other causes such as shoulder injuries or local inflammation.

Symptoms

Shoulder pain: You will experience persistent pain in the shoulder joint area. Some patients experience persistent pain even at night, leading to sleep disturbances.

Limited movement: Pain in the shoulder joint area makes it difficult to move your shoulder. It is often difficult to raise your arm, especially.

Stiffness: Shoulder stiffness can occur along with pain in the shoulder joint area. This can develop into a more severe symptom.

Abdominal pain: Shoulder pain can lead to abdominal pain. This is because the tissues adjacent to the shoulder joint area are connected.

Weakness: You will feel weakness when you have difficulty moving your arm due to shoulder joint damage.

Shoulder impingement syndrome can exhibit mild to moderate symptoms, and surgery may be necessary if the symptoms worsen. Therefore, if you experience shoulder pain or limited movement, you should seek appropriate treatment.

Treatment

Shoulder impingement syndrome is a condition that includes pain, abnormal sensations, and impaired movement due to damage to ligaments, muscles, and tendons around the shoulder joint, and there are various treatment methods.

Stability exercises: Exercises are needed to strengthen shoulder muscles and improve stability. To do this, you can perform general strength training and stability exercises under the guidance of a professional physical therapist.

Ice therapy: Cooling the muscles with an ice pack reduces pain and inflammation. Apply ice therapy for 15 minutes, rest for 30 minutes, and repeat ice therapy for another 15 minutes.

Anti-inflammatory drugs: Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to reduce inflammation in shoulder impingement syndrome. Please use them as prescribed by your doctor.

Steroid injections: Steroid injections can be used to relieve severe pain. Please use them as prescribed by your doctor.

Surgery: Surgery is usually used as a last resort. If other treatments are ineffective, surgery may be considered. Surgery requires diagnosis and treatment by a specialized surgeon.

Shoulder impingement syndrome may require different treatment methods depending on the individual's symptoms and condition. It is important to receive appropriate treatment based on your doctor's diagnosis and prescription.

Surgery

The surgical methods for shoulder impingement syndrome are as follows.

Arthroscopic surgery

Small cameras and instruments are used inside the joint to perform minor procedures. The camera is inserted with disinfectant to minimize unnecessary manipulation, and surgery is performed with a small incision. Depending on the symptoms, surgery can be performed to repair the damaged area of ​​the rotator cuff, remove damaged adjacent tissues, etc.

Open surgery

If arthroscopic surgery does not produce sufficient therapeutic effects, surgery is performed through a large incision. Although large incisions result in larger wounds and require more recovery, the treatment effect on large-scale damage is better.

Rotator cuff repair

If the rotator cuff is partially or completely torn, surgery is performed to repair the torn area. This is a surgery that makes an incision and fixes the rotator cuff back in place.

The surgical method varies depending on the individual's symptoms, and the recovery period varies depending on the post-operative treatment plan. It is important to perform sufficient rehabilitation exercises after surgery to promote early recovery.