Shoulder Impingement

Shoulder impingement is a common condition that involves pain at the front or top of the shoulder joint while raising the arm and/or reaching out backwards. This condition is a repetitive stress injury and can occur because of activities ranging from chronic computer work to competitive swimming. With true impingement it is typically the biceps or supraspinatus tendon that are the pain-generating structures. With this condition, there is always an underlying mechanical imbalance of the rotator cuff, arm, chest, and parascapular muscles: because there is insufficient movement and poor control of movement of the shoulder blade and the upper arm when reaching, the bicep and supraspinatus tendons become impinged under the outer part of the scapula. 

With cases of shoulder impingement, there are frequently rib restrictions coexisting and exacerbating the problem. The scapula glides on the ribs and stabilizes on the rib cage to provide the foundation for arm movement: when moving well, ribs adapt and accommodate the shoulder blade by moving slightly forward underneath it. When ribs are unable to shift in this way it limits scapular movement and sets of a series of compensations whereby the brain attempts to keep function of the body the same but uses different movement patterns. This leads to inflammation, pain, and scarring in the tissues which further entrenches the dysfunction and pain; Active Release Techniques® diagnostic process and treatment protocols serve to balance the muscles and correct the dysfunctional movement pattern of the shoulder joint complex to alleviate impingement of the biceps and supraspinatus tendons.