Shouder Keeps Clicking But No Pain

I had a patient come in to our clinic this week complaining that his shoulder keeps clicking and popping with occasional discomfort (but not pain).

I shared with him an article published earlier this month where 100 patients with suspected rotator cuff tendinopathy and/ or tearing underwent MRI investigation. 

Indication for MRI was when the patients had weakness on testing of the rotator cuff muscle(s) or symptoms resistant to conservative treatment . This is inclusive of at least a 6-week course of physiotherapy. The presence of subjective mechanical symptoms, including clicking or popping was recorded prior to MRI.What the researchers were looking for was the presence of full or partial thickness rotator cuff tearing and biceps long head subluxation.

Results showed that 60 percent of the patients reported subjective mechanical symptoms in their affected shoulder. However only 42 percent of patients had full thickness rotator cuff tearing, 69 percent had partial tears while only 14 percent had biceps long head subluxation.

The authors concluded that subjective mechanical symptoms were not associated with any rotator cuff tearing, biceps long head subluxation. 

However, older age was associated with partial and full thickness rotator cuff tearing. Subjective shoulder mechanical symptoms has the ability of only 44 percent in predicting partial and full thickness rotator cuff tears. Patients may be reassured that clicking or popping sensations alone does not necessarily mean structural shoulder damage.

This article highlights the difficulty of diagnosing shoulder pain/ disorders based solely on symptoms like clicking and/ or popping. I have previously written and explained about this before. The clicking and popping sounds do not really matter, especially when there is no pain. Plus abnormal MRI findings happen in patients with no pain as well.

Reference

Zhang D, Dyer GSM and Carp BE (2024). The Significance Of Subjective Mechanical Symptoms In Rotator Cuff Pathology. J Shd Elbow Surg. 3: S1058-2746(24)000227-1

How To Improve Your Shoulder Range (If You Have Frozen Shoulder)

Last week, we wrote about how Covid-19 may cause frozen shoulder (also known as adhesive capsulitis), so I thought I'd follow up with a post on how we can increase or at least maintain shoulder flexion range during the first and second stage of frozen shoulder. 

Table slide

Research (Rabin et al, 2021) suggest that doing the 'table slide' and 'forward bow' rather than self assisted flexion will give better results for shoulder flexion and less pain. Byron demonstrates the table slide above. Seat slightly forward comfortably on a standard chair (ususally 45 cm high) with your forearms resting on a higher table (80cm). Interlock your hands together and lean forward by sliding your forearms until you reach your tolerable stretch.

Forward bow

For the forward bow, in a standing position, you need to place both palms with elbows straight on a table. Next you need to step back slightly, lower your chest towards the floor until you reach maximum tolerable range.

Assissted flexion

Of course you can still do the self assissted flexion. But it may elicit more pain and the range you attain is usually less. This can be done in standing or even lying down. Thiviyan (above) is holding a stick with both elbows straight while using the unaffected arm to lift the stick into maximum tolerable shoulder flexion. 

Some physiotherapists may suggest using a rope and pulley anchored over the top of a door using the unaffected arm to pull the affected side up. Research also suggests the rope and pulley method is less effective and more painful.

How do we, at Physio Solutions and Sports Solutions, treat frozen shoulder? 

I already revealed this in a previous post. We get best results treating the hip and the arm lines. Remember I wrote previously that our arms and shoulders are connected to our hips?

Have a look at the connections again above and below.

Don't put up with pain and limited range. we are here to help you.

Reference

Rabin A, Maman E, Dolkart O et al (2021). Regaining Shoulder Motion Among Patients With Shoulder Pathology - Are All Exercises Equal? Shoulder and Elbow. 0(0): 1-8. DOI: 10.1177/17585732211067161

Can Frozen Shoulder Be Caused By Covid-19?

Aized was looking at her FB feed (pictured above) earlier this week when someone asked what else could be done for her frozen shoulder (or adhesive capsulitis). This lady was told by her doctor at Tan Tock Seng hospital that her frozen shoulder was possibly caused by her vaccination injections.

Then I recall reading a paper published last July 2021 that it may be Covid-19 that can cause frozen shoulder (rather than the vaccination injections). 

In that published paper (Ascani et al, 2021), 1120 patients were evaluated at the shoulder surgery unit. Of these, 146 were found to have frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis (AC). Of these 146 subjects, 12 had AC after contracting Covid-19, 8 female and 4 male. The patients were between 42-73 years. Frozen shoulder in the patients started 1.5 to 3 months after the Covid-19 diagnosis (mean onset was 2 months after Covid-19). 

Covid-19 symptoms were mild in 5 of the patients, were the other 7 were asymptomatic. None of the patients were severely or critically ill. 2 of the patients had diabetes that were well controlled. You can read more about that study and how the authors suggested AC can be caused by Covid-19 here.  

Can't do L hand on hip

With AC, there is pain and later lots of stiffness in the affected shoulder. First clue if you have AC, you cannot put your hands on your hips (the affected side of course, pictured above). That hand behind your back is definitely out of the question. You have difficulty bringing your arms overhead from the front and side (when your elbows are straight). The pain seems to worsen at night, disrupting sleep. Quality of life is definitely affected.

We really do not know what causes AC. Even doctors and research scientists are not sure either. However, we do know that AC afflicts women more commonly than men. Especially women above 50, more so if they are diabetic, had a prior stroke or thyroid disorders. Sometimes, it occurs after a recent shoulder surgery as well.

There seems to be some recent evidence that AC is a metabolic condition. Meaning if you're hypertensive, overweight, you drink, smoke, you have a poor diet and do little or no exercise, then you have a higher chance of getting AC.

There are usually 3 stages with AC. The first stage is the 'freezing' stage where pain is increasing with most shoulder movements. End range of motion in the shoulder starts to be limited. This stage can last from 3 to 6 months. 

The next stage is the 'frozen' stage. There usually isn't as much pain as the first stage but shoulder range is definitely more limited. Patients often complain of increasing 'stiffness' in this stage.

The last stage is known as the 'thawing' state where shoulder range starts to improve. There is usually much less pain during this stage.

AC can last between 9 to 18 months. I've seen some patients get a whole better after 6 months although it can drag for up to 24 months in other patients. 

I will write how we can help with AC in my next post. Stay tuned.

Reference 

Ascani C, Passaretti D, Scacchi M et al (2021). Can Adhesive Capsulitis Of The Shoulder Be A Consequence Of Covid-19? Case Series Of 12 Patients. 30(7): E409-413. DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2021.04.024

4 Exercises To Avoid If You Have Shoulder Pain

We've seen quite a few patients in our clinic recently with shoulder injuries after exercising at gyms. Often, the patients will ask how soon they can get back to their regular gym exercise routine. 

I haven't found any published evidence for what I'm suggesting. They are based purely on my personal observations, treating many patients with shoulder pain and of course doing the same exercises myself.

So here are a few exercises to avoid in the gym (at least until the pain ceases) if you currently have shoulder pain.

First up is the behind neck Lat (Latissimus Dorsi) pull downs. The bar behind the head position potentially creates a situation where the humerus (arm bone) can move too much in front. Majority of the time, it is due to lack of scapular retraction. This creates a scenario whereby they need more than average shoulder extension to get their elbows behind the body so the bar  can clear the back of their head. This places high loads on the front of the shoulder  and can potentially damage the anterior glenohumeral ligaments and the Biceps Brachii tendon. 

Next is behind the neck shoulder press. This is similar to the Lat pull down, but more damaging. When pressing up, the Deltoid muscles have to work, whereas during a pull, the Latissimus Dorsi works. The Deltoid abducts the shoulder and also elevates the humerus into the acromion process. So a pulling movement with the Latissimus Dorsi will pull the humerus away from the acromion and reduce shoulder impingement. However, the behind the neck shoulder press can potentially cause shoulder impingement.

The upright row. A lot of people 'cheat' by extending their lower back to get the bar up when the weight is too heavy for them. At the top of the pull, the elbows are in a higher position than the arms putting the shoulders into abduction and internal rotation. This position can cause or worsen shoulder impingement since our shoulder should naturally externally rotate with shoulder abduction. 

Dips. I used to do lots of parallel bar dips as a kid, but I hardly do them now. Try it yourself, when dipping, there are super high tensile loads on the front of the shoulder at the bottom of the dip. The Biceps tendon, anterior shoulder capsule, and Subscapularis tendon are all under huge loads. The scapula is also tilting anteriorly at the bottom of the dip. Much worse if you add weights attached to the waist.

If you do the above exercises occasionally, I'm fairly certain no harm or damage is done. But if done regularly, with high load and especially if you have a pre-existing shoulder dysfunction, they can definitely make your shoulder worse.

Don't get me wrong, the above mentioned exercises are not bad exercises to do at the gym. It's just that some of us do not have the perfect joint placement for certain exercises, due to imbalances and underlying movement restrictions, that makes those exercises damaging.

Are Shoulder Stabilization Exercises Useful?

Your physiotherapist or trainer may have taught you the following exercise(s) to help with shoulder pain. You may have been asked to bring your elbows back while squeezing your shoulder blades together behind you. You were told that you should feel the muscles between your shoulder blades activate and your chest stretching or opening up. This is also to help position your scapula(e) for an improved posture.

R shoulder

I must confess that I, too, have been guilty of teaching this in the past. Fortunately, that's a long time ago! I used to to instruct patients to do scapula (or shoulder blade) stabilization exercises when they come in to our clinic complaining of shoulder impingement. This is also known as subacromial pain syndrome. Sub acromial means all structures below the acromion that can cause problems. Please see picture above and below.

What are some common scapular stabilization exercises? Anything that emphasizes retraction (drawing back)  and depression (bringing lower) of the scapular. Like what I described in the first paragraph of the article.

Well, not all cases of subacromial pain patients will benefit from doing the above exercise. Not according to a recently published randomized controlled study (Hotta et al, 2020).

The objective of that study was to determine if adding scapular stabilization exercises especially retraction and depression of the scapular will help patients with subacromial pain. 60 subjects were randomly divided into two groups. One group did strengthening exercises for muscles around the scapular while the other did the strengthening as well as stabilization exercises for 8 weeks (3x daily).

Results at the end of their study after 8 weeks and even 8 weeks after showed no differences between the 2 groups. The researchers concluded that adding scapular stabilization exercises that emphasized scapular retraction and depression to a general strengthening exercise for muscles around the scapular did not add any benefits to pain, muscle strength or range of motion.

Now after 21 years of treating patients with shoulder pain, my approach has changed dramatically. I now look at a person's shoulder together with the ribcage, neck, spine, hips, feet. I look at how a patient's body is sitting in space and how it moves through space. All while assessing the balance of the structures around their joints. I see which structures need to be worked on by me and which the patient would need to tone and strengthen on their own with specific instructions.  

Reference 

Hotta GH, De Asiss Couto AG et al (2020). Effects Of Adding Scapular Stabilization Exercises To A Periscapular Strengthening Exercise Program In Patients With Subacromial Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Muscu Sci Pract 49: 102171. DOI: 10.1016/j.msksp.2020.102171.