The shoulder joint is very susceptible to injury and diseaseAmong them, the most common are adhesive capsulitis, rotator cuff tendonitis, shoulder joint effusion and subacromial syndrome. The latter, in many cases, can limit the patient's activities, since it directly affects mobility.
What is subacromial syndrome?
The subacromial syndrome, also known as "painful shoulder" is one of the most common shoulder pathologies, which can significantly affect the patient's quality of life.
It is caused by a narrowing of the subacromial space of the shoulder, that is, the space between the head of the humerus and the scapula, where the rotator cuffs of the shoulder are located.
Causes of subacromial syndrome
The Causes of subacromial syndrome can be very diverse depending on the reason that causes the pain in the patient. Firstly, it may be due to vascular causes, in cases where blood flow to the supraspinatus tendon is poor. It can also be due to mechanical injuries, in which there is excessive friction on the supraspinatus tendon.
On other occasions, this injury may be caused by anatomical causes, that is, malformations in the joint, or by degenerative diseases, such as osteoarthritis or osteoporosis, which cause wear and tear on bones and cartilage.
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Symptoms of subacromial syndrome
Usually, the symptoms usually manifest themselves through intense pain in the shoulder, which prevents the patient from carrying out lifting or rotating movements, which can affect their daily activities.
In many cases, immobility may occur, as well as joint weakness and sensitivity to touch.
Types of subacromial syndrome
As for the types of subacromial syndrome that exist, they can be differentiated, fundamentally three. Firstly, type 1, which refers to a tendon inflammation and possible muscle bleeding. This type usually occurs in young patients and is mainly due to overload of the joint.
Type 2 presents a chronic nature of the lesion, since the subacromial bursa enlarges, directly affecting the mobility of the patient's arm.
Finally, type 3 is differentiated, it is the most serious, since the patient usually presents rotator cuff tear. The most common cause is usually trauma or a fall.
Diagnosis of subacromial syndrome
When the patient goes to the specialist with symptoms of subacromial syndrome or acute pain in the shoulder area, first of all, a physical palpation is carried out in which the doctor observes which are the areas or points in which the greatest degree of pain is experienced. of pain.
After this first examination, it is usually necessary to perform diagnostic imaging tests. Firstly, x-rays, which will help rule out breaks or fractures, and MRIs, which provide detailed information and allow us to observe the status of the rotator cuffs of the patient.
Treatment for subacromial syndrome or painful shoulder
Once the specialist has made a diagnosis of the patient's pathology, a treatment appropriate to the symptoms and characteristics of the injury is designed. First of all, the most common thing is that a treatment with anti-inflammatories is prescribed, which relieves the pain in the area.
Secondly, it is recommended that the patient undergo a shoulder physiotherapy treatment which includes rehabilitative exercises. In this way, the strengthening of the muscles will be worked on, as well as muscle relaxation and debridement.
If this treatment does not have the desired effect, the patient could finally go under the knife and undergo surgery.
The most used technique to treat this type of injury is shoulder arthroscopy, which, through minimal incisions in the skin, allows a total approach to the shoulder joint.
Prevention of subacromial syndrome
In many cases the subacromial syndrome is inevitable. However, there are certain guidelines that can help prevent its appearance: first of all, it would be advisable to avoid forced postures for the shoulder joint, which can represent a excessive pressure on the supraspinatus tendon.
Secondly, it is advisable to perform exercises that help strengthen the muscles, to protect the tendon and rotator cuffs. However, you should avoid lifting heavy loads that can cause overload on the joint.
Lastly, postural hygiene must be worked on. In this way, positions that are harmful to the joint will be avoided and therefore, injuries will be prevented.
As explained, subacromial syndrome can negatively affect the patient's quality of life. For this reason, it is especially important to go to a professional if pain appears in the area, as well as to follow certain guidelines to prevent its development.
