About Shoulder Primary Impingement Syndrome
At Integrative Physical Therapy of NYC (IPT), one of the more common conditions we treat is primary shoulder impingement.
Some of the hallmark signs of shoulder impingement include:
shoulder pain
shoulder weakness
decreased range of motion in the affected arm
pain is often described as dull and long-lasting
What causes shoulder impingement?
Overuse
Poor posture
Injury while performing overhead movements (swimming is a common cause)
Overall wear and tear
Rotator cuff dysfunction
Overuse of the Shoulder
Overuse of the shoulder, particularly with overhead movements including lifting, can create an inflammatory response in the space between your acromion and the head of the humerus bone. Inflammation will cause pain with certain movements, and without proper healing, can become chronic in nature and pain may be present even at rest.
Poor Posture
Poor posture is a common culprit, as we naturally decrease the available space between the acromion and humeral head with everyday activities such as working, reading, driving, and even just by using our cell phones. Poor postural awareness is a common cause of many orthopedic conditions that cause pain, and unfortunately, these postures become habit and can create chronic issues.
Treatment for Shoulder Impingement in NYC
At IPT, we treat shoulder impingement with a multifaceted approach. Shoulder impingement causes many symptoms including; pain, weakness, decreased range of motion, difficulty performing daily activities, and disrupted sleep. Luckily, we have an arsenal of tools in our belts to help address every one of these symptoms.
Acute pain is addressed with modalities and manual therapy techniques to reduce the inflammation built up within the subacromial space. Manual joint mobilizations performed by licensed Physical Therapists help to increase joint range of motion and is reinforced with proper active range of motion exercises to ensure that the increased range is maintained post-session.
Every body is different, and the cause of your shoulder impingement is unique to you. With a thorough assessment, including observation, palpation, measuring range of motion, special testing, manual muscle and muscle length testing, and a complete history, we can determine the cause of the issue. Using the findings of our assessment, we create an individualized exercise program to help address these causes, creating long-lasting results and pain relief to help get you back to where you want to be, pain-free!
For an appointment with a shoulder impingement syndrome specialist, or to see a doctor of physical therapy for your shoulder pain, please contact us here.
Creech JA, Silver S. Shoulder Impingement Syndrome. [Updated 2023 Apr 17]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554518/
