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Redefining anterior shoulder impingement: a literature review

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Abstract

Many different types of impingements have been described in the shoulder. Inasmuch as the term ‘shoulder impingement’ usually refers to subacromial impingement, anterior impingement usually refers to subcoracoid impingement. However, there are many different subtypes of anterior impingements in the shoulder, and awareness of their existence is critical as they vary in their nature and treatment. Recent advances in biomechanical research and arthroscopic exploration of the anterior structures of the shoulder have brought new insights on the various potential impingements, warranting a revision and update of the current definitions of anterior shoulder impingement. The purpose of this article is to propose a comprehensive review and classification of all different subtypes of anterior impingement in the shoulder, including newly described entities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, Department of Surgery, Geneva University Hospitals, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, CH-1211, Geneva 14, Switzerland

    Gregory Cunningham & Alexandre Lädermann

  2. Division of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, La Tour Hospital, Rue J.-D. Maillard 3, 1217, Meyrin, Switzerland

    Alexandre Lädermann

  3. Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211, Geneva 4, Switzerland

    Alexandre Lädermann

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  1. Gregory Cunningham
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  2. Alexandre Lädermann
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Correspondence to Gregory Cunningham.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Level of Evidence: Systematic review, Level IV

Electronic supplementary material

Arthroscopic management of an infra-coracoid impingement of the subsapularis tendon between the lesser tuberosity and undersurface of the conjoined tendon. (MP4 34,141 kb)

Movie illustrating the arthroscopic management of a FUSSI lesion (MP4 51,327 kb)

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Cunningham, G., Lädermann, A. Redefining anterior shoulder impingement: a literature review. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 42, 359–366 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-017-3515-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-017-3515-1

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