Posterior Shoulder Tightness

Course overview

Shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint which can be a challenge to assess and treat due to the multifactorial etiology. Posterior shoulder tightness (PST) is a specific impairment that is associated with many common conditions of the shoulder, including subacromial and posterior (internal) impingement syndrome and rotator cuff pathology. While the concept of posterior capsule tightness is not new to physical therapists, the term "capsule" is a misnomer because the impairments associated with PST may be attributed to both contractile and inert tissue. This module presents a clinically applicable measurement procedure that may be used to quantify PST and evidence-based interventions designed to mitigate the condition.