The Subacromial Pinch: Why Reaching Sideways Triggers Sharp Pain
That sharp twinge when putting on a coat isn't structural arthritis — it's a microscopic tissue compression.
Schematic diagram — not to scale. Illustrative only; not a medical image or diagnostic claim. Treatment is individualized after in-person assessment.
You apply heating pads, rest your arm, and take anti-inflammatories, yet that unmistakable sharp needle-poke deep inside the top of your shoulder happens every time you reach out sideways.
The Supraspinatus tendon passes through a tiny bony tunnel beneath the acromion. Fibrotic swelling or poor tracking mechanics has eliminated the safety clearance, so the bone grinds and pinches down on the tendon with every side-raise.
Highly precise manual mobilization to widen the subacromial space gap, matched with downward rotator cuff tracking to keep the arm bone resting low in its socket during movement.
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