Shoulder impingement is the general term used to describe that “pinching” pain people experience when lifting or reaching overhead. It is also common for this person to experience pain when lying on the affected shoulder. This condition often greatly frustrates the individual suffering with this annoying pain. As such people exhaustively search the internet and ask around trying to find a solution. Unfortunately, many tips and suggestions do not lead to resolution of the pain. What then should you do if you feel you have shoulder impingement?
In an effort to minimize redundancy in your search for solutions, I will attempt to keep the recommendations concise.
- If your shoulder hurts to sleep on it or wakes you at night, then hopefully you have attempted to sleep on the other side. It is typical for painful shoulders to not respond well when lying on it. So begin with changing positions and then consider placing a pillow between your body and arm. This will open up space in the shoulder joint and is often helpful
- Avoid sitting slouched or rounded all day at a desk or computer. If that is your normal working conditions then it will be important to get up and regularly change positions. While changing positions, try pulling your shoulder blades back. This will reverse some of the strain from sitting with a rounded posture. Do this at least 1x/hour.
- Seek help from a muscle and joint expert. Too often people wait for weeks or even months before seeking out guidance. This is important because the longer a painful condition lives the longer it typically takes to resolve. Plus this muscle and joint expert will be able to find the cause of the issue and develop a plan to solve it.
The bottom line if you are dealing with shoulder impingement is action is necessary. Do not let the problem live for months before getting help. The faster you take action, the quicker you will be back to your activities without pain.
Not sure where to begin?
Click this LINK to request a personalized consult where you can learn exactly what is wrong and how to solve the shoulder impingement problem