The shoulder joint consists of 2 bones, the humerus and the scapula, and is called the glenohumeral joint. Its stabilization is carried out by the ligaments that surround it, as well as by the muscles that play an important role in the joint. The large range of motion (ROM) it presents is due to the minimal osseous stability that exists, while the soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons) are its main stabilizers.
Shoulder tendinopathy is the most common cause of chronic shoulder pain and requires immediate treatment and specialized treatment, as it can create serious problems in the patient’s daily life. The most common case of tendinopathy in the shoulder is tendinopathy of the supraspinatus muscle, which is often associated with shoulder impingement syndrome, or occurs as a sequel to it.
The supraspinatus is the primary muscle of shoulder abduction, and together with the rest of the rotator cuff muscles, provides dynamic stabilization of the humeral head on the humerus.
As previously mentioned, supraspinatus tendinopathy is often associated with shoulder impingement syndrome. The common belief is that shoulder impingement syndrome leads to supraspinatus tendinitis and is even considered the 2nd stage of this condition.
The causes of supraspinatus tendinopathy can be due to both exogenous and endogenous factors. It usually occurs in people who perform vigorous and potentially traumatic repetitive movements eg athletes whose sport involves repeated tears, or athletes who sustain a sudden injury during warm-up or exercise. In addition, incorrect posture for several hours of the day (for example during sedentary work) can also increase the risk of shoulder pain.
The most common symptoms of supraspinatus tendinopathy are:
Severe pain and/or tenderness around the shoulder
Stiffness leading to restriction of movement
Swelling of the tendon near the joint
During the acute phase, the symptoms are intense within 24 hours with severe pain and medication has the dominant role, as well as physical therapy with the aim of analgesia of the patient. In the sub-acute phase, however, it is recommended to assess the damage and design the appropriate physical therapy treatment plan, which could include:
- Manual Therapy
- Kinesio Taping
- Medical Training
- Kinetic Control
- Use of Physiotherapy means etc.
for the complete restoration of the tendon, and the return of the patient to his social and sports activities.
