Introduction
Welcome to FYZICAL Hazleton's resource on Calcific Tendonitis of the Shoulder.
Calcific tendonitis of the shoulder happens when calcium deposits form on the tendons of your shoulder. The tissues around the deposit can become inflamed, causing a great deal of shoulder pain. This condition is fairly common. It most often affects people over the age of 40.
This guide will help you understand:
- what happens in the shoulder with calcific tendonitis
- what tests will be run to diagnose this condition
- what you can do to help relieve the pain
- FYZICAL Hazleton’s approach to rehabilitation
Anatomy
Which part of the shoulder is affected?
Calcific tendonitis occurs in the tendons (tendons attach muscles to bones) of the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is actually made up of several tendons that connect the muscles around your shoulder to the humerus (the larger bone of the upper arm).
Calcium deposits usually form on the tendon in the rotator cuff called the supraspinatus tendon.
There are two different types of calcific tendonitis of the shoulder: degenerative calcification and reactive calcification. The wear and tear of aging is thought to be the primary cause of degenerative calcification. As we age, blood flow to the tendons of the rotator cuff decreases. This makes the tendon weaker. Due to the wear and tear as we use our shoulder, the fibers of the tendons begin to fray and tear, just like a worn-out rope.
Calcium deposits form in the damaged tendons as a part of the healing process.
Reactive calcification is different. Why it occurs is not clear. It doesn't seem to be related to degeneration, and is more likely to cause shoulder pain than degenerative calcification. Doctors describe reactive calcification in three stages. In the pre-calcific stage, the tendon changes in ways that make calcium deposits more likely to form. In the calcific stage, calcium crystals are deposited in the tendons then they begin to disappear. The body simply reabsorbs the calcium deposits. Ironically, it is during this stage that pain is most likely to occur. In the post-calcific stage, the body heals the tendon, and the tendon is remodeled with new tissue.
No one knows what triggers the body to reabsorb the deposits, but once this occurs and the tissue begins to be remodeled, the pain usually decreases or goes away altogether.
Related Document: FYZICAL Hazleton's Guide to Shoulder Anatomy