Pain between 70 and 110 degrees of shoulder ROM during the painful arc indicates which condition?

Pain between 70 and 110 degrees of shoulder ROM during the painful arc indicates which condition?

• A. impingement syndrome with supraspinatus pathology
• B. humeral head fracture
• C. labral tear
• D. biceps tendinopathy

Answer: (A)

Painful arc in mid-range of abduction points to subacromial impingement with supraspinatus involvement. As the arm is raised, the space beneath the acromion narrows and the supraspinatus tendon (often with the subacromial bursa) gets pinched between the humeral head and the acromion. This produces sharp pain specifically during that mid-range (roughly 70–110 degrees) and often a relief outside the arc, which is a classic sign of impingement. Humeral head fracture would show acute, focal pain with deformity and obvious loss of motion from the start. A labral tear tends to cause deep joint pain with instability, clicking, or catching rather than a distinctive mid-range impingement pain. Biceps tendinopathy typically presents with anterior shoulder pain near the bicipital groove and pain with resisted rotations rather than a mid-arc impingement pattern. So, the mid-range painful arc most strongly indicates impingement syndrome with supraspinatus pathology.

Painful arc in mid-range of abduction points to subacromial impingement with supraspinatus involvement. As the arm is raised, the space beneath the acromion narrows and the supraspinatus tendon (often with the subacromial bursa) gets pinched between the humeral head and the acromion. This produces sharp pain specifically during that mid-range (roughly 70–110 degrees) and often a relief outside the arc, which is a classic sign of impingement.

Humeral head fracture would show acute, focal pain with deformity and obvious loss of motion from the start. A labral tear tends to cause deep joint pain with instability, clicking, or catching rather than a distinctive mid-range impingement pain. Biceps tendinopathy typically presents with anterior shoulder pain near the bicipital groove and pain with resisted rotations rather than a mid-arc impingement pattern.

So, the mid-range painful arc most strongly indicates impingement syndrome with supraspinatus pathology.