Shoulder impingement happens when the top of your shoulder blade rubs against or squeezes the soft tissues underneath it when you lift your arm. This causes irritation or swelling in the rotator cuff, which is the group of muscles and tendons that cover your shoulder joint.
If you don’t have shoulder impingement treated, it can lead to tendinitis or even a tear of the rotator cuff.
Symptoms of shoulder impingement begin with discomfort in your shoulder and upper arm. Over time, the pain gets worse. Sleeping on the shoulder may become uncomfortable. The pain may eventually spread down as far as your forearm.
Your shoulder is one of the most moveable and unstable joints in your body, so the risk of injuring it is higher. Causes of shoulder impingement include:
Treatment of shoulder impingement may include:
If these treatments don’t work, your doctor may recommend steroid injections or surgery.
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