Characterisation of human deltoid muscle in patients with impingement syndrome

Muscle biopsies from the anterior and medial parts of the deltoid of 11 male patients and six male controls were analysed with morphological and immunohistochemical methods. The distribution, area, and capillarization of the muscle fibres were determined, and the amount of connective tissue was measured with staining for type-III collagen. Compared with the controls, the patients with impingement syndrome had more type-I than type-II fibres, but the areas of the different types were almost the same. There was no difference in capillarization per fibre type between patients and controls, but the patients had more connective tissue. The results indicate that patients with impingement syndrome have morphological changes in the deltoid muscle, probably due to immobilisation and pain. They support the hypothesis that the deltoid muscle, the medial part in particular, is affected in patients with impingement syndrome.