ShoulderHasung Seoul Orthopedic Clinic
Shoulder Impingement Syndrome
Shoulder impingement syndrome
As I lower my arm after elevation, the arm suddenly drops to the side regardless of my will ?
When you raise your arm the side, have you ever felt like your shoulders are heavy as if weighed down by something, or makes painful cracking sounds?
Shoulder impingement is a disease caused by collisions between rotator cuff and scapula, head of humerus.
Therefore the sub acromial bursa becomes inflammed and causes pain by damaging rotator cuff.
Shoulder impingement syndrome
What causes impingement?
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01
When you are carrying heavy objects for a long time
It may happen if you've been lifting heavy objects over your shoulder for a long time.
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02
Regression in old age
In the case of elderly people, it may progress to degenerative disease due to aging process.
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03
Excessive physical activity and sports
Athletic movements for sports with a lot of rotation of the arm such as weight trainning, swimming, baseball and badminton may cause impingement.
Shoulder impingement syndrome
What are the symptoms?
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A typical symptom is that when you raise your arm to the side, the pain occurs between 60º and 120º.
But you may not feel pain outside this angle. -
If you feel pain above 170º, it is related to the acromioclavicular joint and sternoclavicular joint. It is not impingement.
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There is a self diagnosis you can do before you go to the hospital.
As self diagnosis, you may start by raising your arm to the side at 90º angle. If you feel difficulty when you slowly lower your arm to the side or when someone else presses down on my arm, causing your arm to drop, you may suffer from impingement.
Shoulder impingement syndrome
How to treat it?
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01
Suprascapular nerve block
This is a procedure that is prescribed for most patients.
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02
Injection of steroid and local anaesthetic
The above treatments (02 and 03) must not be done simultaneously.
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03
Prolotherapy
The above treatments (02 and 03) must not be done simultaneously.
Shoulder impingement syndrome
How long is the recovery after the procedures?
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70 ~ 80% of symptoms are improved within about a week after suprascapular nerve block or steroid injection.
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In the case of prolotherapy, the pain becomes more severe at the beginning but this is the initial recovering stage and the pain is relieved over two weeks after that but this kind of symptoms almost disappear after the procedure is performed 3 to 5 times every other week.
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Since suprascapular nerve block may have damage of nerve and blood vessel, the best way is that experienced physician has to perform the procedure by scanning ultrasound.
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However, depending on the capabilities of the medical staff, it is also possible to safely perform the procedure with only finger percussion.