Shoulder Impingement Treatment

Shoulder impingement is a very common but painful sports injury that can cause reduced strength and range of motion as well as chronic pain. Coast Spine and Sports Medicine develops personalized treatment plans to help men and women in Orange County, Los Angeles County and Inland Empire.

What Is Shoulder Impingement?

Shoulder Impingement TreatmentShoulder impingement is a common injury also known as swimmer’s arm or impingement syndrome that happens due to chronic impingement or compression of the rotator cuff tendon of the shoulder. This condition develops due to injury or overuse of the shoulder by laborers and athletes who repeatedly lift their arms overhead. When it’s not treated, shoulder impingement can lead to a more serious condition like rotator cuff tendonitis , bursitis, and a rotator cuff tear.

Shoulder impingement can be painful and limit strength and range of motion of the affected shoulder. You may have an impinged shoulder if you experience:

  • Pain when trying to sleep on the affected side
  • Shoulder pain when moving the arm outward, beside the bed, or overhead
  • Pain with dynamic movements like throwing motions
  • Reduced range of motion in the shoulder with weakness in movements

How Much Does Shoulder Impingement Cost in Orange County?

The cost to treat shoulder impingement in Orange County depends on many factors, such as the severity of your condition and whether it has progressed to rotator cuff tendonitis or a rotator cuff tear. During your first appointment with Coast Spine and Sports Medicine, we will create a personalized treatment plan to help you recover. We will also review the cost of treatment with you. We accept many forms of insurance along with financing through CareCredit®.

What Causes Shoulder Impingement?

Shoulder impingement can be caused by a wide variety of repetitive stress injuries or trauma. It’s often a sports injury but it can also be the result of osteroarthritis of the shoulder, tightening of the ligaments or joint capsule, or injuries such as falls.

Any repetitive overhead motions can lead to shoulder impingement. This includes swimming, golfing, throwing, and frequent overhead lifting.

How Is Shoulder Impingement Treated in Orange County?

Shoulder impingement syndrome can often be resolved through physical therapy, rest, and non-surgical treatments like steroid injections that reduce inflammation and pain at the site of the injury. Only when these conservative treatments fail to relieve pain will surgery be considered.

Surgery for shoulder impingement can create more space in the shoulder for the rotator cuff by removing the inflamed part of the bursa and sometimes part of the acromion. In most cases, these procedures can be performed with an arthroscopic technique through tiny incisions for faster, easier recovery. Depending on the cause of the shoulder impingement, it may be necessary to treat underlying shoulder conditions as well such as arthritis.

If surgery is required, you will need to wear a sling for a period of time before beginning rehabilitation to regain your range of motion and shoulder strength.

If you are dealing with the pain and reduced strength of shoulder impingement, early intervention is important to regain your range of motion and reduce the risk of complications. Contact us today to set up an appointment at Coast Spine and Sports Medicine. We welcome patients in the Los Angeles County and Orange County areas, including Downey, Rancho Cucamonga, and Santa Ana, CA.