PROMOTION Straight from the shoulder Pain when lifting the arm can make everyday tasks more difficult. Luckily, effective treatments can restore full mobility P ain in the shoulder is a common complaint, affecting three in ten people at some point in their lives. Shoulder pain can be a symptom of a wide range of conditions affecting the joint, however it is often related to impingement syndrome. More commonly known as swimmer's or thrower's shoulder, it is a collection of symptoms affecting the shoulder. These include a dull pain on the outside of the arm that is worse when the arm is lifted out to the side. The pain often causes disturbed sleep and can affect the ability to complete everyday tasks, such as getting dressed and hair washing. What causes impingement syndrome? The movements of the shoulder are controlled by the rotator cuff. This is a group of four tendons, called the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor tendons. Of these, the supraspinatus is the one