This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Pathology

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Impingement may result from:

  • subacromial spurs
  • osteoarthritic thickening of the acromioclavicular joint
  • swelling of the cuff or subacromial bursa from systemic inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout
  • prolonged, excessive or unaccustomed use of the shoulder in the impingement position

The effect of such impingement ranges from localised, self-limiting tendinitis, to the development of minute tears (which may be followed by scarring and calcification of the tendon), to partial or even full-thickness tearing of the cuff. Small tears of the cuff are almost universal after the age of 60.

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.