Shoulder impingement is one of the most common shoulder complaints we treat — sharp pain reaching overhead, pain at night when you roll onto the affected side, and a feeling of pinching or catching with certain movements.
The mechanical story is usually a combination of rotator cuff weakness, poor scapular control, and tight posterior shoulder capsule — not a structural problem that needs surgical fixing. The exception is true rotator cuff tears with significant weakness, which are screened for during assessment.
Our treatment plan blends manual therapy to restore mobility, targeted rotator cuff and scapular strengthening, and gradual reintroduction of overhead loading. Most patients see meaningful change inside four to eight weeks of consistent work.
Cortisone shots can quiet symptoms temporarily but rarely fix the underlying movement problem. Physiotherapy first is the standard of care — and most people never need an injection at all.