People use their shoulders constantly throughout the day. From smartphone use and computer work at the office, to household chores and intense exercise — the shoulder performs countless tasks until we fall asleep. Impingement syndrome refers to the pain that occurs when the bone that acts as a roof over the shoulder joint collides with the muscles and tendons that move the shoulder. If you hear a 'clicking' sound in your shoulder along with pain when raising your arm, you may want to suspect impingement syndrome. 1) What is impingement syndrome? Simply put, it's a condition where the protruding shoulder bone (acromion) and the rotator cuff tendons collide, causing inflammation inside the shoulder. 2) Characteristics of impingement syndrome
The pain in the front and side of the shoulder gradually worsens when raising the arm. Pain is often severe before bedtime, and many patients cannot lie on the affected shoulder. If this continues for several months, muscle atrophy may appear above and behind the shoulder. When moving with hands raised overhead, clicking sounds can be heard under the acromion during shoulder rotation. However, impingement syndrome is a different condition from rotator cuff tear. A rotator cuff tear involves inflammation and damage at the attachment point of the rotator cuff to the humeral head, causing severe pain even when attempting to raise the arm. In contrast, with impingement syndrome, there is little pain up to a certain height when raising the arm, and pain occurs only when the arm is nearly fully raised. It also differs from frozen shoulder. Since impingement syndrome is not an adhesive inflammatory condition, there is usually no significant pain in the early stages except during arm-raising movements. Additionally, while pain occurs during active movement, it is not as severe during passive movement, which distinguishes it from other shoulder conditions.
3) Causes of impingement syndrome Common causes include excessive or repetitive shoulder use in sports such as golf, tennis, and badminton, as well as poor posture that causes the shoulder to round forward. When the shoulder joint is overused, it ages rapidly, and the gap between the tip of the scapula (acromion) and the arm bone narrows. As this gap narrows, the acromion and the rotator cuff tendons collide with each other, causing inflammation and shoulder pain. 4) Symptoms of impingement syndrome - Pain in the shoulder, arm, hand, or neck - Limited range of shoulder motion - Pain severe enough to disrupt sleep at night - Worse pain at night than during the day - Catching or clicking sounds when moving the arm - Sharp pain in the front of the shoulder - Gradual or sudden onset of pain If you experience any of the above symptoms, you should suspect this condition. 5) How impingement syndrome is diagnosed
Impingement syndrome is diagnosed through X-ray, ultrasound, and when necessary, MRI imaging to check for structural damage to bones, ligaments, and muscles. 6) Treatment for impingement syndrome In the early stages, avoiding movements that trigger pain along with rest and physical therapy can be sufficient. Ice massage can also help reduce pain and inflammation. If you have moderate pain, manual therapy, exercise rehabilitation, and shockwave therapy can gradually expand your shoulder's range of motion and strengthen the shoulder muscles. The most common causes of shoulder pain are aging, overuse, and poor posture. Overuse is often unavoidable in daily life, and aging cannot be completely prevented. However, prevention varies greatly depending on how much attention we pay to it. When your shoulder is under excessive stress, stretching and resting are the most effective ways to prevent shoulder pain.
Simply improving our daily habits can help prevent impingement syndrome. Before engaging in shoulder-intensive activities such as baseball, bowling, upper body weight training, golf, swimming, or badminton, spend about 10 minutes thoroughly stretching to loosen the tendons, muscles, and ligaments around the shoulder to increase flexibility. You should also learn and practice proper posture in daily life. Maintaining daily habits that don't strain the shoulder is essential for preventing impingement syndrome. When sitting in a chair, avoid leaning on one armrest to prevent weight from shifting to one arm. You should also correct habits such as sleeping on your side or gripping the top of the steering wheel with both hands while driving.
