“Why won’t my shoulder pain settle?” — The vicious cycle of Impingement & Calcific Tendinitis

Do you feel a sharp catch when you reach for a seat‑belt or wash your hair? Does the pain wake you at night and travel down the arm? If so, you may be dealing with sub‑acromial impingement that has progressed to calcific tendinitis—a common yet stubborn cause of shoulder agony in people who sit with rounded shoulders or perform repetitive overhead work.

How does it start?

1. Poor posture or hunching narrows the gap (sub‑acromial space) beneath the bony acromion.

2. Every time you lift the arm, the supraspinatus tendon is squeezed, leading to microscopic tears.

3. The body tries to repair the damage, but repeated pinching provokes inflammation and swelling.

4. In roughly 10 % of chronic cases, the healing tissue lays down hard calcium deposits — calcific tendinitis — which makes the tendon even bulkier and more painful.
   

Typical warning signs

• Sudden, severe pain when lifting the arm sideways or above shoulder height

• Deep, tooth‑ache pain that radiates to the neck or elbow

• Tender spot on the top or front of the shoulder

• Night pain that prevents comfortable sleeping on the affected side
  

Why DIY fixes often fail

Ice packs and rest may calm an acute flare, but if calcium remains or posture stays uncorrected, the tendon is re‑injured and the pain re‑ignites. True recovery requires treating both the cause (joint crowding) and the consequence (inflamed, calcified tendon).

Targeted solutions at J & J Therapy

Problem	Our most appropriate intervention
Acute inflammation & calcium build‑up	Shockwave Therapy — non‑invasive pressure waves fragment calcium and jump‑start healing in as few as 3–5 sessions
Tight chest & neck muscles pulling shoulders forwards	Corrective Therapeutic Massage of pectorals, upper traps, levator scapulae
Weak scapular stabilisers	Physio‑led Strengthening for rhomboids, lower traps & serratus anterior
Lingering swelling	Manual Lymphatic Massage to clear inflammatory by‑products
Episodic pain spikes	Electro‑therapy (TENS/IFC) — safe modulation of pain signals

💡 Clinical research shows that focused shockwave therapy can achieve up to 70 % pain reduction and significant calcium resorption without surgery.

What can you do at home?

1. Door‑frame pec stretch – 30 s × 3, little-and-often.

2. Scapular retraction exercise – band pull‑aparts, 2‑3 sets / daily.

3. “Thumbs‑up” external rotations with a light band to re‑educate the rotator cuff.

4. Swap the soft sofa for a lumbar‑supported chair and keep screens at eye level.

5. Sleep with a small pillow under the arm to reduce nocturnal compression.
   

Don’t let calcium write your story

Book an expert assessment at JJTHERAPY365.com or send a WhatsApp enquiry to 07882 943 540. Let our multi‑disciplinary team restore pain‑free motion so you can lift, play and sleep without that burning ache.