Shoulder pain is a very common symptom in people who practice sports, whether in a specific discipline or more generally in a health club. While it may simply indicate that training was more intense, if it persists for longer periods, for example more than 3-4 days and during certain specific movements, then something may not be right.
There are numerous conditions that can cause shoulder pain. The most common is subacromial impingement.
Subacromial Impingement: What is it?
As the name suggests, it is a conflict, meaning a compression of shoulder structures, namely the Rotator Cuff tendons (though not exclusively), against a bony structure called the acromion and, at times, a ligament known as the Coracoacromial ligament.
The muscle most often affected is the supraspinatus, particularly its tendon. The result is pain within certain ranges when lifting the arm and sometimes also on the outer and/or back side of the arm, along with swelling in the shoulder that may or may not be visible.
Inflammation may or may not occur depending on the structures involved. At times, it may also be associated with a “clicking” sensation.
Subacromial Impingement: How does it happen?
The shoulder is, in fact, a joint complex, meaning it is made up of 5 joints in total. So, when we lift the arm, movement does not occur only in the most obvious spot but in 5 different places. This makes it easy to understand that a lot can go wrong. In subacromial impingement, what happens is a dysfunction of movement in one, several, or even all of these joints.
Of the more than 15 muscles that act directly on the shoulder as a whole, some stabilize the “parts” while others move them. When, for some reason, these muscles contract with the wrong timing (too late or too early), the joints move incorrectly.
There may also be an overlap of certain muscles over others, meaning some muscles are so strong that they cancel out others. This last scenario is often seen in people who train mostly with machines and systematically follow muscle isolation workouts.
Subacromial Impingement: What to do?
Since muscles have a specific timing to start contracting and each one has its own role in allowing us to move the arm, that is exactly what needs to be restored. After a movement analysis, the dysfunction is corrected through specific exercises, with careful attention to important details such as head and spine position during execution.
While strengthening the local musculature is important, correcting the movement is the most crucial step (as it addresses the harmful mechanisms). It must be performed properly, as there is a risk of worsening the condition if done incorrectly.
It may also be necessary to apply a specific tape to reduce pain and facilitate movement, and of course, to work manually on the injured tendons.
These are only general guidelines. For a proper evaluation of your case, consult your physiotherapist. They will know how to advise you and follow your progress.
It can be challenging to find school backpacks for children with this feature, but it allows the bag to fit closer to the body, distributing the weight more evenly and helping to prevent both imbalances and spinal overload.
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