Supraspinatus tendonitis is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain. Unfortunately, it’s not a condition that heals on its own and almost always needs treatment.
Thankfully, we’ve got all the information you need to learn more about supraspinatus tendonitis and the quickest ways to treat it.
What is supraspinatus tendonitis?
The supraspinatus muscle is a soft tissue structure that is part of the rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder; this also also include subscapularis, teres minor, and infraspinatus muscles. It attaches from the top of the scapular (posterior shoulder), then runs underneath the clavicle and acromioclavicular joint to attach at the top of the upper arm (humerus) on the greater tuberosity. Its function is to raise the arm outwards from the side, clinically known as ‘abduction.’ It also plays a small role in external rotation and resisting gravitational forces on the glenohumeral joint. When the tendon becomes inflamed or irritated, it is classed as suffering from tendonitis.
Symptoms of supraspinatus tendonitis
There are many different characteristics of the condition, but a clinical presentation may combine the following symptoms:
- Pain when raising the arm forward, sideways, or above shoulder height.
- Repetitive activities that involve shoulder movement.
- Burning sensation in the shoulder.
- Weakness when lifting up an object or pushing a door open.
- Disrupted sleep due to the pain.
- Difficulty performing routine activities such as brushing hair or putting a jacket on.
- Referred pain into the upper arm.
Symptoms of other shoulder injuries can mimic the symptoms of supraspinatus tendon injuries, but the most common is inflammation of the subacromial bursa, clinically known as bursitis.
What causes supraspinatus tendonitis?
The three main causes of supraspinatus tendinitis are:
Repetitive activity: repetitive use of the shoulder joint can cause the supraspinatus tendon and other neighbouring rotator cuff tendons to become inflamed such as the biceps tendon.
Poor posture: if your shoulders are protracted forward from poor posture then your supraspinatus tendon can get blocked under a bony prominence called the acromion. It then suffers from continuous compression which leads to inflammation and irritation. The clinical name for this is subacromial supraspinatus impingement or shoulder impingement syndrome. There are three sites that the tendon can become impinged: under the acromion, on the glenoid rim, or under the coracoacromial ligament. The coracoacromial ligament attaches between the acromion and the coracoid process.
Direct blow: If you fall onto or hit your shoulder then it can directly inflame the supraspinatus tendon and affect shoulder function.
You might also be interested in: How to fix shoulder pain
Ligament laxity: When the ligaments of the should are weak and lax, it causes the joint to become unstable. The rotator cuff tendons then have to work harder to stabilise it during movement, and as a result, can develop tendinitis.
Risk factors
- Tight shoulder muscles.
- Age – poor vascularity.
- A previous shoulder injury: tendinopathy, rotator cuff tears, bursitis.
Diagnosis
A practitioner will start by manually assessing the shoulder joint and performing orthopaedic movement tests. These tests will assess if a painful arc is present, which indicates shoulder impingement. The names of the main tests are Hawkins, Empty can, and Neer tests.
An ultrasound scan can be recommended if there is a suspected tear of the supraspinatus tendon. An MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging) will provide a more accurate analysis of the health of the supraspinatus, and also identify the presence of calcific deposits. An x-ray however, cannot show tears or inflammation in the tendon.
Treatment for supraspinatus tendonitis
Prolotherapy
Tendons have a poor blood supply so they struggle to receive adequate levels of oxygen and nutrients to help with the healing process. Prolotherapy is a natural treatment that involves the injection of a regenerative solution to help heal the tendon. It stimulates the production of collagen, which are the fibres that a tendon is made up of. Please click on the image below for more information about this treatment alongside video testimonials:
Medication
Any medication for supraspinatus tendinopathy should be a last resort due to the side effects it can have. The most appropriate medication to temporarily reduce the inflammation and provide pain relief is non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs). It can’t help with the impingement.
Arthroscopic Surgery
If a tear is causing the tendon to become inflamed then an arthroscopy can be performed to repair it. If the supraspinatus tendonitis is being caused by compression, then an acromioplasty procedure can be performed. It is also known as a subacromial decompression to release the impingement.
Surgical treatment should always be a last resort and it is safer to first try Prolozone Therapy to repair the tear.
Corticosteroid injection
A treatment that involves the injection of anti-inflammatory medication into the supraspinatus tendon to help to reduce inflammation. This injection should be a last resort as many studies have shown it can weaken the fibres of a tendon.
Prolotherapy
Prolotherapy
In recent years, prolotherapy has built its reputation within the medical community due to its clinically proven ability to treat Supraspinatus Tendonitis.
Published research has proven its pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory and regenerative benefits.
Prolotherapy involves injecting a natural regenerative solution with small needles. This has been shown to reduce swelling, which helps with Supraspinatus Tendonitis.
As prolotherapy is helping to treat the root cause of Supraspinatus Tendonitis, it is deemed a permanent fix, preventing the symptoms from returning.
Prevention
- Sports massage into the rotator cuff muscles and trapezius muscle can help to prevent supraspinatus and other shoulder injuries.
- Regularly stretch your shoulder back to help prevent bad posture.
- Stretch your shoulder muscles before and after sports.
- If you play a lot of racquet sports, it’s advisable to have regular physical therapy, because it can help improve the range of motion in the shoulder joint.
Frequently asked questions
How long does supraspinatus tendonitis take to heal?
The poor blood supply and vascularity of tendons mean that is can take a long time for them to heal on there own. Without treatment, supraspinatus tendonitis can take up to 6 months to heal. Treatments such as Prolozone Therapy can significantly speed up the healing process.l
Is supraspinatus tendonitis curable?
Supraspinatus is treatable and curable with the right treatment and advice.
How do you sleep with supraspinatus tendonitis?
The best position to sleep with supraspinatus is to lie flat on your back with your arm supported by a pillow.
Where is supraspinatus pain felt?
Supraspinatus pain is felt at the side of the shoulder in the middle section of the deltoid. In some cases, it can be felt further round the front of the shoulder.
Why does tendonitis hurt more at night?
Tendonitis hurts more at night because inflammation has a chance to build up. Movement in the day time helps to flush inflammation out of the tendon before it has a chance to build up and cause shoulder pain. Another reason may be due to the position of the shoulder when laying down as this can affect the blood flow to the tendon.
Why is supraspinatus most commonly injured?
The supraspinatus is most commonly injured because there are three different positions that it can become compressed. Overuse of the shoulder can cause the muscle and tendon to become inflamed.