Evidence-Informed Evaluation of Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

Course overview

Shoulder pain is a common diagnosis for which therapists get referrals that limit a person's ability to use their arm, especially in overhead activities. Therapists may also receive referrals for diagnoses distal to the shoulder but will observe pain in the shoulder when patients return to use of the entire upper extremity. Therapists must be knowledgeable in anatomy/biomechanics/arthrokinematics of the shoulder, be aware of the special tests to perform, and use patient-reported outcome measures to establish an effective treatment plan for those with shoulder impingement syndrome. In this course, therapists will learn the different types of shoulder impingement and review biomechanical studies/arthrokinematics, special tests to perform, and assessment of soft tissue/joint imbalances when evaluating patients with shoulder pain.