What Causes Elevation Of Left Acromion And Limited External Rotation?

Posted on Thu, 3 Apr 2014

Question: Hello, I have elevation of my left acromion and limited flexion and external rotation losing approximately full arm external flex and rotation by 25 degrees roughly. I have been getting a deep tissue massage and the therapist is trying to roll the head of the biceps tendon back into place as this is what we are assuming. Is this possible or do I need to have it looked at by specialist?. Why is my acromion sticking up in a resting posture.out and looking different than my right. This all recently began. Pain is minimal and internal and external rotations are good. I am 58 years old ,female and have some medical background. I am conservative always with treatments. I don't feel limited in my job and I try to work out and don't have pain. just limited motions and weakness on left arm. Good palm up and down. .

Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: Likely to be due to tendonitis. Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for posting your query. The prominent acromion process and limited external rotation seems to be due to Rotator cuff tendonitis or shoulder impingement syndrome which causes irritation and inflammation of the rotator cuff and the bursa when doing overhead activity and hence pain. Usually, there is enough room between the Acromion and the rotator cuff so that the tendons slide easily underneath the acromion as the arm is raised. But each time the arm is raised, there is a bit of rubbing or pinching on the tendons and the bursa. With overuse, this can cause irritation and swelling of the bursa. The rolling of biceps tendon back into place is not possible cause or treatment of your problem. You need to get an MRI scan done which is a more sensitive test for soft tissue and muscular injuries. An Orthopedician is the best person to be consulted. Here are some general treatment measures which you can follow: 1) Provide complete rest and avoid overhead activities. 2) Apply cold compresses and take some anti inflammatory pain killer after consulting your doctor. If the symptoms are severe then after confirming the diagnosis by MRI, you may need steroid injections or surgical arthroscopic technique (kept as last resort). I hope this answers your query. In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out. Wishing you good health. Regards. Dr. Praveen Tayal. For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar