What You Need To Know About Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

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For an athlete, frequent and consistent training sessions are vital for improving their game and honing their weak areas. However, high levels of training put athletes at risk of suffering from sports injuries, including overuse injuries caused by repetitive motion.

One type of overuse sports injury is shoulder impingement syndrome. Keep reading to learn vital info about shoulder impingement syndrome, including your best options for treating and managing your condition.

1. Shoulder impingement Syndrome is a Leading Cause of Shoulder Pain

When an athlete suffers from shoulder pain, shoulder impingement syndrome is one of the leading causes of their discomfort. Shoulder impingement syndrome occurs when the tendons, bones, or bursa (the sac that contains the lubricating fluid used by the tendons, joints, and bones) become pinched and rub against one another. This pinching (also known as impingement) makes it painful to raise your arms. 

Athletes whose sport requires a lot of overhead motion, such as swimmers, weight lifters, and tennis players, are at high risk of suffering from shoulder impingement syndrome. However, athletes who have existing shoulder abnormalities are also at high risk of shoulder impingement, even if their activity doesn't call for constant moving of the arms. 

2. Prompt Treatment is Necessary for Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

It's essential to seek prompt treatment for shoulder impingement syndrome for multiple reasons. The pain caused by this injury is constant and can interfere with the activities of daily life. You may find that it is painful to dress yourself, access overhead cabinets, or reach behind you.

Another argument for swift treatment is that shoulder impingement syndrome can lead to more severe injuries when left untreated. The joints, tendons, and bursa will continue to rub together; this constant rubbing will continue to degrade the tendons, eventually causing them to tear. Tearing of the tendons makes movement even more difficult and painful, and it may cause more injury to the muscles in your arm. 

3. Treatment Varies Based on the Severity of the Injury

If you suffer from shoulder impingement syndrome, your doctor will customize a treatment plan to the severity of your injury. Treatment is less intensive when the injury is detected early. For early cases of shoulder impingement syndrome, resting the affected shoulder for a month or two and taking anti-inflammatory medication is usually sufficient for the shoulder to heal.

However, more severe cases may require cortisone injections. If the tendons in your shoulder have torn, sports injuries arthroscopic surgery may be necessary to repair them. Stretches and physical therapy can also aid the recovery process.

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23 May 2019

Relief for Shoulder Pain

Recently, my husband began experiencing shoulder pain. Suffering pain of any kind was unusual for him. Although, my husband is in his mid-forties, he enjoys amazingly good health. He’s rarely sick. He hardly ever complains about feeling badly. Because his shoulder pain lingered for a few weeks, he visited an orthopedic specialist. This individual informed my husband that he had bone spurs in his shoulder. He gave my husband a cortisone shot. My spouse’s physician also recommended that he begin rehabilitating his shoulder through exercise. On this blog, you will discover the best types of exercises for strengthening a painful and weak shoulder.