Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Impingement Syndromes

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Shoulder Arthroscopy

  • 463 Accesses

Abstract

There have been various forms of impingement reported in the literature. They are categorized into three groups: (1) subacromial impingement, (2) posterosuperior impingement, and (3) anterior impingement. The subacromial impingement is the classic type of impingement. The word “subacromial impingement syndrome” covers wide spectrum of rotator cuff pathologies, and sometimes used synonymously with shoulder pain. Due to this vague definition, various pathologies are included under the diagnostic label of impingement syndrome. As a result, outcome of surgical treatment such as arthroscopic subacromial decompression (ASD) is controversial. We need further long-term studies to clarify the efficacy of ASD, especially paying more attention to the pathology of the acromion and the rotator cuff tendon. The posterosuperior impingement is found specifically in throwing athletes. The anterior impingement includes various types of impingement that occur around the anterior shoulder. The most common type is the subcoracoid impingement. However, the pathoanatomy and pathophysiology of this impingement are not clearly understood such as why an articular side tear of the subscapularis occurs as a result of subcoracoid impingement. More recently, anterosuperior impingement has been reported which seems to better explain the mechanism of articular side tear of the subscapularis. We need more evidence on this specific group of anterior impingement. ASD in patients with rotator cuff tear is still controversial.

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

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover 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

References

  1. Armstrong JR. Excision of the acromion in treatment of the supraspinatus syndrome; report of 95 excisions. Bone Joint J. 1949;31b(3):436–42.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Neer CS 2nd. Anterior acromioplasty for the chronic impingement syndrome in the shoulder: a preliminary report. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1972;54(1):41–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Bennett GE. Shoulder and elbow lesions distinctive of baseball players. Ann Surg. 1947;126(1):107–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Andrews JR, Broussard TS, Carson WG. Arthroscopy of the shoulder in the management of partial tears of the rotator cuff: a preliminary report. Arthroscopy. 1985;1(2):117–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Jobe FW, Kvitne RS, Giangarra CE. Shoulder pain in the overhand or throwing athlete. The relationship of anterior instability and rotator cuff impingement. Orthop Rev. 1989;18(9):963–75.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Vitale MA, Arons RR, Hurwitz S, Ahmad CS, Levine WN. The rising incidence of acromioplasty. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2010;92(9):1842–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Judge A, Murphy RJ, Maxwell R, Arden NK, Carr AJ. Temporal trends and geographical variation in the use of subacromial decompression and rotator cuff repair of the shoulder in England. Bone Joint J. 2014;96-b(1):70–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Garving C, Jakob S, Bauer I, Nadjar R, Brunner UH. Impingement syndrome of the shoulder. Deutsch Arztebl Int. 2017;114(45):765–76.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Alizadehkhaiyat O, Roebuck MM, Makki AT, Frostick SP. Subacromial impingement syndrome: an electromyographic study of shoulder girdle muscle fatigue. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2018;38:136–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Myers JB, Oyama S. Sensorimotor factors affecting outcome following shoulder injury. Clin Sports Med. 2008;27(3):481–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. van Vliet PM, Heneghan NR. Motor control and the management of musculoskeletal dysfunction. Man Ther. 2006;11(3):208–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hotta GH, Santos AL, McQuade KJ, de Oliveira AS. Scapular focused exercise treatment protocol for shoulder impingement symptoms: three-dimensional scapular kinematics analysis. Clin Biomech. 2018;51:76–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Walch G, Boileau P, Noel E, Donell ST. Impingement of the deep surface of the supraspinatus tendon on the posterosuperior glenoid rim: an arthroscopic study. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 1992;1(5):238–45.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Jobe CM. Posterior superior glenoid impingement: expanded spectrum. Arthroscopy. 1995;11(5):530–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Gerber C, Sebesta A. Impingement of the deep surface of the subscapularis tendon and the reflection pulley on the anterosuperior glenoid rim: a preliminary report. J Shoulder Elb Surg. 2000;9(6):483–90.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Jobe CM. Superior glenoid impingement. Orthop Clin North Am. 1997;28(2):137–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Cunningham G, Ladermann A. Redefining anterior shoulder impingement: a literature review. Int Orthop. 2018;42(2):359–66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Goldthwait JE. An anatomic and mechanical study of the shoulder-joint, explaining many of the cases of painful shoulder, many of the recurrent dislocations and many of the cases of brachial neuralgias or neuritis. Am J Orthop Surg. 1909;6(4):579–606.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Gerber C, Terrier F, Ganz R. The role of the coracoid process in the chronic impingement syndrome. Bone Joint J. 1985;67(5):703–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Gerber C, Terrier F, Zehnder R, Ganz R. The subcoracoid space. An anatomic study. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1987;215:132–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Lo IK, Burkhart SS. The etiology and assessment of subscapularis tendon tears: a case for subcoracoid impingement, the roller-wringer effect, and TUFF lesions of the subscapularis. Arthroscopy. 2003;19(10):1142–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Friedman RJ, Bonutti PM, Genez B. Cine magnetic resonance imaging of the subcoracoid region. Orthopedics. 1998;21(5):545–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Suenaga N, Minami A, Kaneda K. Postoperative subcoracoid impingement syndrome in patients with rotator cuff tear. J Shoulder Elb Surg. 2000;9(4):275–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Park JY, Lhee SH, Oh KS, Kim NR, Hwang JT. Is arthroscopic coracoplasty necessary in subcoracoid impingement syndrome? Arthroscopy. 2012;28(12):1766–75.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Ladermann A, Chague S, Kolo FC, Charbonnier C. Kinematics of the shoulder joint in tennis players. J Sci Med Sport. 2016;19(1):56–63.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Castagna A, Mouhsine E, Conti M, Vinci E, Borroni M, Giardella A, et al. Chondral print on humeral head: an indirect sign of long head biceps tendon instability. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2007;15(5):645–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Smith TO, Back T, Toms AP, Hing CB. Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound for rotator cuff tears in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Radiol. 2011;66(11):1036–48.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Roy JS, Braën C, Leblond J, Desmeules F, Dionne CE, MacDermid JC, Bureau NJ, Frémont P. Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography, MRI and MR arthrography in the characterisation of rotator cuff disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(20):1316–28.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Funk L, Levy O, Even T, Copeland SA. Subacromial plica as a cause of impingement in the shoulder. J Shoulder Elb Surg. 2006;15(6):697–700.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Neer CS 2nd. Impingement lesions. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1983;173:70–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Neer CS 2nd, Welsh RP. The shoulder in sports. Orthop Clin North Am. 1977;8(3):583–91.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Ellman H. Arthroscopic subacromial decompression: analysis of one- to three-year results. Arthroscopy. 1987;3(3):173–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Roye RP, Grana WA, Yates CK. Arthroscopic subacromial decompression: two- to seven-year follow-up. Arthroscopy. 1995;11(3):301–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Hultenheim Klintberg I, Karlsson J, Svantesson U. Health-related quality of life, patient satisfaction, and physical activity 8-11 years after arthroscopic subacromial decompression. J Shoulder Elb Surg. 2011;20(4):598–608.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Farfaras S, Sernert N, Rostgard Christensen L, Hallstrom EK, Kartus JT. Subacromial decompression yields a better clinical outcome than therapy alone: a prospective randomized study of patients with a minimum 10-year follow-up. Am J Sports Med. 2018;46(6):1397–407.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Beard DJ, Rees JL, Cook JA, Rombach I, Cooper C, Merritt N, Shirkey BA, Donovan JL, Gwilym S, Savulescu J, Moser J, Gray A, Jepson M, Tracey I, Judge A, Wartolowska K, Carr AJ, CSAW Study Group. Arthroscopic subacromial decompression for subacromial shoulder pain (CSAW): a multicentre, pragmatic, parallel group, placebo-controlled, three-group, randomised surgical trial. Lancet. 2018;391(10118):329–38.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  37. Milano G, Grasso A, Salvatore M, Zarelli D, Deriu L, Fabbriciani C. Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with and without subacromial decompression: a prospective randomized study. Arthroscopy. 2007;23(1):81–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Chahal J, Mall N, MacDonald PB, Van Thiel G, Cole BJ, Romeo AA, et al. The role of subacromial decompression in patients undergoing arthroscopic repair of full-thickness tears of the rotator cuff: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arthroscopy. 2012;28(5):720–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Abrams GD, Gupta AK, Hussey KE, Tetteh ES, Karas V, Bach BR Jr, et al. Arthroscopic repair of full-thickness rotator cuff tears with and without acromioplasty: randomized prospective trial with 2-year follow-up. Am J Sports Med. 2014;42(6):1296–303.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Paavola M, Malmivaara A, Taimela S, Kanto K, Inkinen J, Kalske J, Sinisaari I, Savolainen V, Ranstam J, Järvinen TLN, Finnish Subacromial Impingement Arthroscopy Controlled Trial (FIMPACT) Investigators. Subacromial decompression versus diagnostic arthroscopy for shoulder impingement: randomised, placebo surgery controlled clinical trial. BMJ. 2018;362:2860.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan

    Nobuyuki Yamamoto & Eiji Itoi

Authors
  1. Nobuyuki Yamamoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Eiji Itoi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nobuyuki Yamamoto .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Joint and Bone Surgery, University of Brescia, Brescia, Brescia, Italy

    Giuseppe Milano

  2. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Casa di Cura Villa Valeria, Rome, Roma, Italy

    Andrea Grasso

  3. Shoulder and Upper Limb Department, St. Luke's Hospital, Bielsko-Biała, Poland

    Roman Brzóska

  4. Department of Traumatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Ladislav Kovačič

34.1 Electronic Supplementary Material

Before acromioplasty, we confirm whether subacromial impingement between the coracoacromial arch and the cuff tendon occurs or not performing the Neer’s or Hawkins’ impingement maneuver during surgery.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Yamamoto, N., Itoi, E. (2023). Impingement Syndromes. In: Milano, G., Grasso, A., Brzóska, R., Kovačič, L. (eds) Shoulder Arthroscopy. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-66868-9_34

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-66868-9_34

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-66867-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-66868-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation