Sub-Acromial Pain Syndrome (SAPS)
By Daniel Jang
What is Sub-Acromial Pain Syndrome (SAPS)?
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Common shoulder pain, non-traumatic in origin and is usually unilateral. Pain is usually worsened with movement of your arm. Is the modern umbrella term that covers Sub Acromial Pain Syndrome that factors in Rotator cuff tendinopathy and tears, bursitis, biomechanical and psychosocial factors. The shift is from what we thought was causing the issue the impingement of the shoulder often times resolves from the structure not having to be surgically removed but treated conservatively usually with Physiotherapy. It is a broader term that accounts not just for the biomechanics but for the symptoms and presentation of the individual.
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This condition has a life time prevalence of up to 67% in Australia, so about 2/3 of the Australians experience this once in their lifetime. It is often linked with rotator cuff issues, affecting not just the older population but young active adults, people who engage in more overhead sports and activities such as tennis, swimming, gym workouts or certain occupations such as a painter.
Signs to look out for:
- Pain located at the front or side of the shoulder, occasionally to the elbow
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- Every day activities such as changing clothes or having a shower might trigger pain as well as putting your hand behind your back or reaching over head
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- You might experience an arc of pain from 60degrees to 120degrees of shoulder abduction
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- Trouble sleeping on the side of the affected arm due to pain
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- Decreased strength/weakness in the affected arm especially when doing overhead movements
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- Sometimes a painful click/clunk maybe heard when moving your arm
Things that you can do:
- Find positions of ease: usually the arm bone sits forwards and this could contribute to extra mechanical load of the shoulder joint and increasing fatigue of the stabilizing muscles such as the rotator cuffs
- Checking the balance between activation of the shoulder muscles and the scapular rhythm during overhead movements: you can film yourself or see a qualified Physiotherapist to check for any changes or deficits that might arise with patterning, this might start with motor control exercises
- De-load the shoulder so the muscles, tendons and ligaments are not overloaded and strained: this might look like active rest, avoiding certain exercises until proper recovery and making sure you are not re-irritating or aggravating the affected structures that are contributing to your SAPS.
- Continuing ongoing exercises that help you restore balance of the shoulder, introducing a warm up and cool down routine that might consist of release work, activation exercises, motor patterning exercises and stretching
If you are suffering from SAPS, don't hesitate to see your GP or your Physiotherapist!
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Getting an overall picture and ruling out other more serious symptoms/conditions as early as possible is one of the best ways to prevent prolonged injury and disability in the long run. Knowing what the problem is and having a staged process to recovery is crucial in management.
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Physiotherapy treatments for SAPS may include:-
- soft-tissue release / massage of tight structures affecting your biomechanics
- prescription of exercises to strengthen weak muscles and release tight muscles to improve biomechanics
- education on what to avoid, what to continue.
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​​​Your shoulder pain affecting your ability to perform day to day activities such as getting dressed or playing with your kids? Daniel is ready and waiting to help you with your recovery. If you would like to make an appointment, click here to make an online booking, or call (07) 3211 7011 to speak with our friendly reception staff.
