Shoulder impingement is a very common cause of shoulder pain. It happens when there is an impingement of the bursa or tendons of your shoulder.
Overhead activities of the shoulders, especially repeated ones, are the risk factors for shoulder impingement. Some examples are tennis, swimming, lifting, painting, and other sports.
With shoulder impingement, pain affects daily activities because it is persistent. Motions, like reaching up behind the reaching overhead or back to put on a blouse or coat, cause pain.
Over time, the condition may result in inflammation of the bursa and the rotator cuff tendons. If it is not treated well, the rotator cuff tendon may start to tear.
Shoulder impingement may as well result from injuries, like a fall onto the outstretched arm and directly on your shoulder. With the help of the following treatment options, you will be able to treat the condition:
1. Surgery
For patients with pain that doesn’t respond to conservative measures, a shoulder surgeon has expertise in shoulder impingement. As with any type of surgery, there are possible complications and risks. So your surgeon will explore options if other treatments don’t work for you.
In the surgical treatment, an invasive procured referred to as subacromial decompression, the key goal is to relieve compression on the bursas and rotator cuff by creating space between the acromion and humeral head.
2. Shoulder Exercises
A general practitioner can advise you on simple shoulder exercises you may do. A physiotherapist may as well diagnose shoulder impingement and even suggest exercises that can help to further strengthen the muscles and improve shoulder posture.
You might need to do those exercises with the help of a physiotherapist. Though after some time, you will continue doing the exercises at home. If the exercises worsen the pain or don’t improve after several weeks, go back to a physiotherapist or general practitioner.
3. Home Care
Rest is important as far as treating the condition is concerned. Avoid doing strenuous exercises or movements, which can make your pain worse. This is particularly important for athletes.
Although it is a good idea not to move the shoulders too much, avoid using a sling to completely immobilize your arms. This may result in more stiffness and weakness in the shoulder.
You can also try to put ice packs on the shoulder for around 12 minutes severally to minimize any swelling and pain you have.
4. Regenerative Medicine
A doctor can offer regenerative medicine treatments, like stem cell injections and PRP (platelet-rich plasma). The key goal of this treatment is to handle soft tissue problems like rotator cuff tears.
In general, regenerative medicines are regarded as safe. But there is little clinical research concerning whether they are effective in minimizing symptoms related to shoulder impingement.
The Bottom Line!
Shoulder impingement, in general, happens because of an individual overusing their shoulders. Baseball players and swimmers are more likely to experience this kind of injury. People also working in occupations requiring a lot of lifting are likely to get shoulder impingement. So whichever the case, it is best to have it treated immediately through one of these treatment options.