Shoulder isthmus syndrome is otherwise referred to as Painful Shoulder Syndrome or Duplay’s Disease. Its essence is damage to the soft tissues of the shoulder joint.
The shoulder joint – unlike other movable bone connections – does not have its own ligamentous apparatus. It is replaced by the tendons surrounding the joint of the muscles that attach the upper limb to the torso. It is their damage that underlies the symptoms.
Cause shoulder syndrome can be:
• degenerative and inflammatory changes in the soft tissues of the joint
• injuries in the area of the upper limb girdle
• diseases in the vicinity of the joint (cardiovascular diseases, neurological diseases, neoplastic diseases, connective tissue diseases, etc.).
The disease is more common in women, usually after the age of 50.
Depending on the immediate cause, shoulder isthmus syndrome comes in different forms, with different symptoms. The common feature is pain in the shoulder joint, which may be accompanied by swelling. As a result of sparing the joint, muscle atrophy occurs over time, which further aggravates the limitation of limb mobility, including shoulder stiffness.
Treatment the less advanced disease consists of topical (ointments and creams, intra-articular injections) and general administration of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs as well as physical therapy and exercise under the supervision of a therapist. In more serious cases (dislocation or rupture of the tendon, stiffening of the joint), there are indications for surgical treatment.
Text: SzB
Physical therapy