Where Does Impingement Occur?

Shoulder impingement occurs when the top outer edge of your shoulder blade, called the acromion, rubs against (“impinges on”) or pinches your rotator cuff beneath it, causing pain and irritation.

Where do you feel shoulder impingement?

Shoulder impingement syndrome can best be described as a recurring ache/pain on the outside upper part of your shoulder when you raise your arm to shoulder height. Shoulder impingement syndrome occurs due to pinching and inflammation of the rotator cuff tendon and bursa in the space below the acromion (see photo).

What is an impingement in the shoulder?

Overview. Impingement syndrome describes a condition in which the tendons of the rotator cuff of the shoulder are pinched as they pass between the top of the upper arm (humerus) and the tip of the shoulder (acromion). The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and bones that share a common tendon.