Shoulder impingement happens when the top of your shoulder blade rubs against your rotator cuff. It creates unnecessary pressure on the muscles and tendons of your shoulder. As a result, you may feel excessive pain and discomfort in moving shoulder joints. Swimmers and athletes commonly suffer from this because they use their shoulders a lot. People with long-hour desk jobs and professionals such as software engineers are also prone to this syndrome due to fatigue of postural muscles.
If you experience shoulder pain or can’t move your shoulder, you should visit Dr Banarji B.H., a well-known orthopaedic in Banglore to get top-notch medical attention.
What Are the Probable Causes of Shoulder Impingement?
The primary cause of the shoulder impingement is the overuse of shoulder joints. It means that this problem arises when you do a repetitive activity that puts too much stress on your shoulder joints’ tendons and muscles. But, in some other medical cases, there is not known the real cause of shoulder impingement. It may happen due to a sports injury, car accident, or a fall.
Watch Out for the Symptoms of Shoulder Impingement
The common symptoms of shoulder impingement include:
- Minor yet constant pain in the arm or shoulder
- Excessive pain at night
- Pain in the medial aspect of the mid back, adjacent to the shoulder blade
- Shoulder weakness
- Difficulty in moving shoulder for overhead activities.
What is the Course of Treatment for Shoulder Impingement?
After diagnosing the cause of the shoulder impingement through imaging tests (X-ray, MRI, or ultrasound), the doctor discovers the cause of the shoulder impingement. Then, they recommend treatment to ensure zero recurrences of the disease post-recovery. Based on the severity of the pain and mobility issues, the treatment for shoulder impingement also varies.
Non-Operative Methods
First off, Dr Banarji BH will suggest some following non-operative treatments to restore the strength and usual functions of shoulder joints:
- Take a long break from sports or any other kind of physical activity that may cause strain on the shoulders
- Physical therapies to strengthen and stretch the muscles of the shoulders to improve their mobility
- Apply an ice or cold pack on the affected shoulder area
- Over-the-counter medications that can reduce pain and inflammation.
Surgical Methods
Most often, proper rehabilitation and non-surgical treatment will help in recovering from shoulder impingement syndrome. You might rarely need surgical intervention, only if there is an abnormally curved bone (Acromion) or the calcified ligament narrowing the subacromial space.
You may be suggested an arthroscopic shoulder decompression surgery. This is a minimally invasive surgery. With the help of this surgery, the surgeon widens the space around your rotator cuff. They remove part of the acromion to create more space. This prevents the rotator cuff from rubbing or touching the shoulder blade. Following the shoulder surgery, the surgeon will recommend you wear an arm sling for a certain period.
Dr Banarji’s Expertise In Helping Patients with Shoulder Impingement
Dr Banarji BH is a distinguished orthopaedist with a wealth of 20 years of experience, practising at Sakra World Hospital in Bangalore. He offers a comprehensive array of services aimed at addressing Shoulder and Upper limb disorders and Arthroscopy & Sports Medicine. He is committed to delivering high-quality arthroscopy and reconstructive surgeries.
