Alternative to Shoulder Impingement Surgery

Shoulder impingement surgery corrects shoulder joint abnormalities that cause impingement, or catching, within the shoulder. Although surgery can be effective for correcting shoulder impingement, there are nonsurgical options that treat and/or manage shoulder impingement.

Activity Modification

• Shoulder impingement often can be improved and/or effectively managed by avoiding those types of activities that aggravate and/or inflame the shoulder joint and increase the frequency and/or degree of impingement.

Rest

• Shoulder impingement, especially acute cases of it, often can be treated successfully by resting the affected shoulder and eliminating any unnecessary shoulder movement. Doing this can help reduce shoulder inflammation and irritation, which can increase shoulder flexibility and decrease the degree of impingement.

Physiotherapy

• Physiotherapy, which typically combines range of motion exercises, massage therapy, acupuncture and electrical muscle stimulation, often is used to treat chronic shoulder problems, including shoulder impingement, and can dramatically reduce pain and improve function.

Strength Training

• Strength training the muscles and soft tissues in the shoulder stabilizes the shoulder joint and corrects any shoulder misalignment problems caused by weak and/or slack shoulder muscles. A stronger, more stable shoulder joint girdle can reduce the severity and occurrence of shoulder impingement.

Injections

• Shoulder joint injections are effective at reducing the pain and inflammation resulting from shoulder impingement and are an effective form of treatment in the management of a shoulder joint impingement problem. Cortisone, which is a steroid, is commonly used in shoulder joint injections.