Primary symptom of impingement syndrome?

• A. Numbness with arm at rest
• B. Gradual onset pain worse with overhead activity
• C. Acute swelling after injury
• D. Pain that is constant regardless of movement

Answer: (B)

Impingement syndrome is a mechanical issue in which the rotator cuff tendons and subacromial bursa are pinched under the acromion when the arm is lifted. The hallmark symptom is gradual, activity-related shoulder pain that worsens with overhead movements such as reaching upward or lifting objects above shoulder level. This pattern is characteristic of impingement and helps distinguish it from other problems: numbness with the arm at rest suggests nerve irritation rather than tendon impingement; acute swelling after an injury points to a traumatic lesion like a sprain or dislocation; and pain that is constant regardless of movement implies a non-mechanical or inflammatory process. Thus, gradual onset pain worse with overhead activity best fits impingement syndrome.