Because of active adults, the overhead sports - tennis, golf, swimming, softball, and basketball, to name a few - are by far the sports enjoying the most participation. They also invite a variety of shoulder injuries ranging from minor muscle strain to a fully torn rotator cuff.

In the past, the sources and reasons of shoulder injuries for these athletes were often mis-diagnosed, which sometimes led to unnecessary procedures and drawn-out, painful recovery. Recently, research by the Orthopedic Foundation for Active Lifestyles (OFALS) resulted in a discovery that may prove to end one of the most commonly misdiagnosed shoulder problems.

Led by founder and sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Kevin Plancher, OFALS has confirmed the existence of a little-known ligament called the spinoglenoid. The spinoglenoid ligament stretches from the spine into the shoulder, traveling through a bony structure called the spinoglenoid notch.

The ligament is to blame in some cases of shoulder dysfunction, causing misdiagnosed patients to undergo ineffective physical therapy and other treatments. “Until recently, little was known about the spinoglenoid ligament,” said Dr. Plancher. In the OFALS study, he and his team of researchers were able to confirm the existence of the spinoglenoid ligament in each cadaver examined.

According to Dr. Plancher, the ligament runs through the back of the shoulder, often constricting the suprascapular nerve - one of the major nerves in the shoulder region that delivers sensation and messaging to the two main tendons of the rotator cuff, the supraspinatus and the infraspinatus. It is the suprascapular nerve that is responsible for the major shoulder functions. Dr. Plancher adds, “The spinoglenoid ligament can compress the [suprascapular] nerve, similar to carpal tunnel in the hand, leading to marked weakness and pain that mimics the symptoms of rotator cuff injury.

A pinpoint diagnosis of whether an injury is muscle- and/or tendon-related or nerve related can be obtained through MRI and electrodiagnostic study of the suprascapular nerve. If compression of the suprascapular nerve is the problem, physical therapy rehabilitation may alleviate pain, but it is not effective for the long-term.

In the past, the most frequently prescribed treatment for nerve compression in the shoulder was to cease the root-cause activity and undergo months of intensive, targeted physical therapy. More often than not, athletes with this type of compression never returned to their sports of choice; however, in 2007, Dr. Plancher unveiled a new arthroscopic approach.

This new approach, which Dr. Plancher presented at the 2007 San Diego Shoulder Meeting, involves arthroscopically detaching the ligament at the shoulder site and removing it from its position overlying the suprascapular nerve. Says Dr. Plancher, "With this procedure, patients experience much faster relief of pain and weakness in the shoulder, and can often return to overhead sports with little more than a brief course of physical therapy to strengthen surrounding muscles, tendons and ligaments."

If you suspect that you have a shoulder injury, it is critical to seek the urgent consultation of a local sports injuries doctor for appropriate care. To locate a top doctor or physical therapist in your area, please visit our Find a Sports Medicine Doctor or Physical Therapist Near You section.