diagnosis

diagnosis, based on mri done late march 2013

key points from mri
  1. internal impingement syndrome
  2. subluxtion of shoulder joint
  3. extensive tear of labrum
  4. degeneration of AC joint
  5. mild bursitis 

my thoughts 2-4-13
relationships, causation
- i currently experience right shoulder pain and incapacity
- i have had persistent shoulder joint instability since (3) happened
- (3) was caused by an accident in the gym in 1983 (ie 30 years ago)
- (3) made me highly susceptible to (2)
- (2) can cause great pain, distress and short-term incapacity
- multiple (2) events compromised my shoulder anatomy
- multiple (2) events caused, or exacerbated my (1)
- my (4) and (5) may be contributors to, and /or symptoms of my (1)
- basic gym exercise may expose my compromised shoulder anatomy
- basic gym exercise may exacerbate my compromised shoulder anatomy


more about (2)
- (2) can result in associated injuries including:
       * stretched or torn tendons and other soft tissue 
       * chronic inflammation and the formation of scar tissue
       * adjoining muscle atrophy and/or muscle over-compensation
       * resulting in muscle weakness and imbalances
- always active, playing sport etc, (2) has occurred as many as 10 times in a year
- (2) is rare now, due to better shoulder strength, via gym exercise, and better awareness
- but longer term, (2) has compromised my normal shoulder anatomy

- and the more anatomy is compromised, the more injuries are likely
- the more injuries, the more shoulder anatomy may be compromised
- ie a self-exacerbating cycle


technical breakdown - mri report dated 21-3-2013

1 - acromio-clavicular joint:
  • mild to moderately degenerative disintergration
  • small oedema with prominent "dorsal capsular synovitis, and resultant swelling
  • [bone] spurs - no significant inferior-directed ones, and no arch ones
2 - sub-acromial-subdeltoid
  • bursa is mildly thickened, 
  • contains a small amount of fluid 
3 - humeral head
  • cystic changes
  • these are located in the sub-cortical postero-superio area
  • specifically - underneath the "infraspinatus-posterior supraspinatus fibers"
  • they extend "underneath the bare area, to the margin of tuberosity-footprint attachment"
  • there is also diffuse mild hyperintensity of the the overlying anterior fibres of the infraspinatus, and of the posterior fibres of the supraspinatus
  • particularly on the undersurface
  • this is associated with tendinopathy
  • it is also associated with "deep articular surface tearing of the anterior fibers of the infraspinatus and the posterior fibers of the supraspinatu"
4 - labrum
  • extensive tear in the post-superior labrum
  • extends from bicep attachment, inferiorly, to involve the inferior labrum
  • signs of further tearing in the anterior labrum
  • ie linear high signal in its mid-superior aspect 
  • but the anterior labrum is better preserved
5 - subluxtion of humerous
  • long head of the bicep tendon is meant to be within the groove with a small sheath effusion
  • however, it will "sublux up out of the superior aspect of the groove
  • and it also has some "diffuse high signal" within its intra-articular portion
  • this would be "compatible with mild tendonitis"
  • there is also some "high signal at the attachment of the subscapularis"
  • this would be compatible "mild tendanopathy and [ ] small intrasubstance tears"