Supraspinatus Tendon Syndrome – Causes, Complaints & Therapy

Supraspinatus tendon syndrome

Supraspinatus tendon syndrome is understood to be a pain syndrome in the shoulder. It is caused by signs of wear on the shoulder tendon.

What is supraspinatus tendon syndrome?

Supraspinatus tendon syndrome (SSPS) is a chronic pain syndrome also known as rotator cuff syndrome, shoulder bottleneck syndrome or subacromial syndrome. It does not occur on the shoulder joint itself, but affects the tendon, as well as the adjacent soft tissues. The disease is noticeable by tears, inflammation and pain. People over the age of 40 are particularly affected by the pain syndrome.

Causes

A supraspinatus tendon syndrome is spoken of when it comes to degenerative changes in the tendon of the upper bone muscle (supraspinatus muscle). This triggers pain that depends on certain movements. First and foremost, this includes spreading the arm. Apart from the upper bone muscle tendon, there are usually also impairments of the adjacent structures.The anatomical position of the supraspinatus muscle plays an important role in the development of supraspinatus tendon syndrome. Thus, the upper bone muscle belongs to the rotator cuff. This fixes the humerus bone (os humeri) within the joint socket of the shoulder blade. In addition, it ensures his movement possibilities. The supraspinatus muscle extends from the back of the upper shoulder blade to the humerus.

The tendon of the muscle crosses the bony shoulder roof (acromion). Furthermore, it runs below a band between the coracoacromiale ligamentum and the roof of the shoulder. This is a natural constriction that can be further narrowed by certain circumstances. These include inflammation, the healing of bone fractures or anatomical factors that are individually pronounced.

Furthermore, there are strong loads on the tendon of the supraspinatus muscle due to pressure and friction. This results in a high susceptibility to degenerative wear and tear. This not only causes wear on the supraspinatus tendon, but also on the supply structures. This leads to circulatory disorders and poorly running regeneration processes. Over time, a painful supraspinatus tendon syndrome develops.

Symptoms and course

Typical symptoms of supraspinatus tendon syndrome:

The supraspinatus tendon syndrome is characterized by typical leading complaints. Thus, the shoulder hurts when the affected person performs certain movements with it. This can be spreading or lifting the arm. In addition, pain occurs when the patient lies on the affected shoulder while sleeping. It is also possible that the pain radiates down to the arm. When irritation of the biceps tendon or bending the forearm, the pain intensifies. In addition, there are restrictions on movement of the shoulder.

By sparing, the pain can be mitigated and the symptoms can initially improve. In the further course, however, the regeneration proves to be increasingly inadequate, whereby the freedom from pain takes shorter intervals. If the supraspinatus muscle is spared too much, muscular imbalances can also occur. This leads to a protrusion of the humeral head, which in turn leads to a further narrowing of the tendon. As a rule, supraspinatus tendon syndrome takes a chronic course.

Diagnosis

The persistent complaints on the shoulder often lead those affected to the doctor. This first deals with which movement sequences cause pain and how intense they are. The signs of degeneration are difficult to determine by X-rays. However, a height of the humeral head, calcifications or bone growths after a healed fracture can provide information about a supraspinatus tendon syndrome.

A better assessment of the disease is possible with a sonography (ultrasound examination). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is sometimes also useful. In contrast, shoulder arthroscopy, which was often used for diagnostic purposes in earlier years, is now more commonly used for treatment.

treatment and therapy

In the early stages of supraspinatus tendon syndrome, conservative treatment is still possible. The therapeutic measures include the administration of Anti-inflammatory and painkilling medication , heat therapy , cold therapy or manual therapy as well as physiotherapy exercises and diadynamic currents to relax the muscles.

It is also important to relieve the supraspinatus tendon. However, the range of motion of the shoulder must be maintained so that no muscular imbalances occur. Inpatient treatment in an orthopedic facility for rehabilitation is also considered sensible. Ultimately, the patient must also regularly carry out the exercises that he learns in his own four walls.

A surgical intervention is considered necessary if the conservative therapy measures do not lead to the desired success. The surgeon eliminates the subacromial narrowing, which is referred to as acromioplasty. This consists of resecting parts of the ligament located between the coracoid process and the shoulder level. In the case of a joint reflection ( Arthroscopy ), the anterior and inferior surface of the shoulder height is also enlarged. Active movements of the treated shoulder are possible again after just a few days.If there are minor tears in the rotator cuff, these can also be treated as part of an arthroscopy. However, the cracks must still be fresh and the patient must be young. After the rotator cuff has been sewn up, the shoulder is shifted onto a spreader pad. After about 10 to 12 weeks, the patient can put full weight on his shoulder again.

Prevention

Supraspinatus tendon syndrome is difficult to prevent. So it is not possible to prevent anatomical triggers. However, the pain can be easily treated with early therapy.

Dorothy Farrar

Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.

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