Skip to main content

Chronic Pain Syndromes: Shoulder Pain

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Functional Illness of the Head and Neck
  • 489 Accesses

Abstract

Shoulder pain is very common and its dysfunction affects many functional activities. The shoulder is a complex structure with multiple joints and multiple static and dynamic stabilizers. The shoulder assessment involves a thorough history, physical examination, and relevant investigations. Subacromial pain and glenohumeral joint dysfunction are commonly encountered etiologies. Their management involves conservative, pharmacological, and interventional options.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Pope DP, Croft PR, Pritchard CM, Silman AJ. Prevalence of shoulder pain in the community: the influence of case definition. Ann Rheum Dis. 1997;56(5):308–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Mahmoud NF, Hassan KA, Abdelmajeed SF, Moustafa IM, Silva AG. The relationship between forward head posture and neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. Springer. 2019;12:562–77.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Martinez-Merinero P, Nuñez-Nagy S, Achalandabaso-Ochoa A, Fernandez-Matias R, Pecos-Martin D, Gallego-Izquierdo T. Relationship between forward head posture and tissue mechanosensitivity: a cross-sectional study. J Clin Med. 2020;9(3):634.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Griegel-Morris P, Larson K, Mueller-Klaus K, Oatis CA. Incidence of common postural abnormalities in the cervical, shoulder, and thoracic regions and their association with pain in two age groups of healthy subjects. Phys Ther. 1992:425–31.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bullock MP, Foster NE, Wright CC. Shoulder impingement: the effect of sitting posture on shoulder pain and range of motion. Man Ther. 2005;10(1):28–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Kim EK, Kim JS. Correlation between rounded shoulder posture, neck disability indices, and degree of forward head posture. J Phys Ther Sci. 2016;28(10):2929–32.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Boettcher CE, Ginn KA, Cathers I. The “empty can” and “full can” tests do not selectively activate supraspinatus. J Sci Med Sport. 2009;12(4):435–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Hegedus EJ, Wright AA, Cook C. Orthopaedic special tests and diagnostic accuracy studies: house wine served in very cheap containers. Br J Sports Med. BMJ Publishing Group. 2017;51:1578–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Cook C. The lost art of the clinical examination: an overemphasis on clinical special tests. J Man Manip Ther . Taylor & Francis. 2010;18:3–4.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Moosikasuwan JB, Miller TT, Burke BJ. Rotator cuff tears: clinical, radiographic, and US findings. Radiographics. 2005:1591–607.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Hussain A, Muzzammil M, Butt F, Valsamis EM, Dwyer AJ. Effectiveness of plain shoulder radiograph in detecting degenerate rotator cuff tears. J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad. 30(1):8–11.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Singh J. Shoulder ultrasound: what you need to know. Indian J Radiol Imaging. 2012;22(4):284–92.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Amoo-Achampong K, Nwachukwu BU, McCormick F. An orthopedist’s guide to shoulder ultrasound: a systematic review of examination protocols. Phys Sports Med. 2016;44:407–16. Taylor and Francis Ltd.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Le Corroller T, Cohen M, Aswad R, Pauly V, Champsaur P. Sonography of the painful shoulder: role of the operator’s experience. Skelet Radiol. 2008;37(11):979–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. O’Connor PJ, Rankine J, Gibbon WW, Richardson A, Winter F, Miller JH. Interobserver variation in sonography of the painful shoulder. J Clin Ultrasound. 2005;33(2):53–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Day M, Phil M, McCormack RA, Nayyar S, Jazrawi L. Physician training ultrasound and accuracy of diagnosis in rotator cuff tears. Bull Hosp Jt Dis. 2016;74(3):207–11.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Wertli MM, Brunner F, Steurer J, Held U. Usefulness of bone scintigraphy for the diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome 1: a systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2017;12:3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Diercks R, Bron C, Dorrestijn O, Meskers C, Naber R, De Ruiter T, et al. Guideline for diagnosis and treatment of subacromial pain syndrome. Acta Orthop. Informa Healthcare. 2014;85:314–22.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Michener LA, Walsworth MK, Burnet EN. Effectiveness of rehabilitation for patients with subacromial impingement syndrome: a systematic review. J Hand Ther. 2004;17(2):152–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Hanratty CE, McVeigh JG, Kerr DP, Basford JR, Finch MB, Pendleton A, et al. The effectiveness of physiotherapy exercises in subacromial impingement syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2012;42(3):297–316.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Naredo E, Cabero F, Beneyto P, Cruz A, Mondéjar B, Uson J, et al. A randomized comparative study of short term response to blind injection versus sonographic-guided injection of local corticosteroids in patients with painful shoulder. J Rheumatol. 2004;31(2):308–14.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. McInerney JJ, Dias J, Durham S, Evans A. Randomised controlled trial of single, subacromial injection of methylprednisolone in patients with persistent, post-traumatic impingement of the shoulder. Emerg Med J. 2003;20(3):218–21.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Hay EM, Thomas E, Paterson SM, Dziedzic K, Croft PR. A pragmatic randomised controlled trial of local corticosteroid injection and physiotherapy for the treatment of new episodes of unilateral shoulder pain in primary care. Ann Rheum Dis. 2003;62(5):394–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Taheri P, Dehghan F, Mousavi S, Solouki R. Comparison of subacromial ketorolac injection versus corticosteroid injection in the treatment of shoulder impingement syndrome. J Res Pharm Pract. 2017;6(4):223.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Min KS, St. Pierre P, Ryan PM, Marchant BG, Wilson CJ, Arrington ED. A double-blind randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of subacromial injection with corticosteroid versus NSAID in patients with shoulder impingement syndrome. J Shoulder Elb Surg. 2013;22(5):595–601.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Gatt DL, Charalambous CP. Ultrasound-guided barbotage for calcific tendonitis of the shoulder: a systematic review including 908 patients. Arthroscopy. Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery. W.B. Saunders. 2014;30:1166–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Pasın T, Ataoğlu S, Pasın Ö, Ankarali H. Comparison of the effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma, corticosteroid, and physical therapy in subacromial impingement syndrome. Arch Rheumatol. 2019;34(3):308–16.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Kesikburun S, Tan AK, Yilmaz B, Yaşar E, Yazicioǧlu K. Platelet-rich plasma injections in the treatment of chronic rotator cuff tendinopathy: a randomized controlled trial with 1-year follow-up. Am J Sports Med. 2013;41(11):2609–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Rha DW, Park GY, Kim YK, Kim MT, Lee SC. Comparison of the therapeutic effects of ultrasound-guided platelet-rich plasma injection and dry needling in rotator cuff disease: a randomized controlled trial. Clin Rehabil. 2013;27(2):113–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Shams A, El-Sayed M, Gamal O, Ewes W. Subacromial injection of autologous platelet-rich plasma versus corticosteroid for the treatment of symptomatic partial rotator cuff tears. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol. 2016;26(8):837–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Barnsley L, Lord SM, Wallis BJ, Bogduk N. Lack of effect of intraarticular corticosteroids for chronic pain in the cervical zygapophyseal joints. N Engl J Med. 1994;330(15):1047–50.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Whelan DB, Kletke SN, Schemitsch G, Chahal J. Immobilization in external rotation versus internal rotation after primary anterior shoulder dislocation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Sports Med. 2016;44(2):521–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Liavaag S, Brox JI, Pripp AH, Enger M, Soldal LA, Svenningsen S. Immobilization in external rotation after primary shoulder dislocation did not reduce the risk of recurrence: a randomized controlled trial. J Bone Jt Surg Ser A. 2011;93(10):897–904.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Rugg CM, Hettrich CM, Ortiz S, Wolf BR, Baumgarten KM, Bishop JY, et al. Surgical stabilization for first-time shoulder dislocators: a multicenter analysis. J Shoulder Elb Surg. 2018;27(4):674–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Hovelius L, Olofsson A, Sandström B, Augustini BG, Krantz L, Fredin H, et al. Nonoperative treatment of primary anterior shoulder dislocation in patients forty years of age and younger: a prospective twenty-five-year follow up. J Bone Jt Surg Ser A. 2008;90(5):945–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Deng, G. (2023). Chronic Pain Syndromes: Shoulder Pain. In: Blakley, B.W., Blakley, J.E. (eds) Functional Illness of the Head and Neck. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12998-8_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12998-8_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-12997-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-12998-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics