Alyson Footer has an update from Alberto Arias' MRI results:
Posterior cuff impingement and rotator cuff weakness. Will continue treatment.
WTF is that?
An abstract from the American Journal of Orthopedics in 2004 said:
A positive posterior impingement sign correlated highly with undersurface tearing of the rotator cuff and/or tearing of the posterior labrum in athletes with gradual onset of posterior shoulder pain during overhand athletics.
Or if you want to read a 16-page article in the Journal of Athletic Training on rotator cuff impingement, you can do so. But I'll save you some time:
It's not looking good for Arias. He may not need surgery (says Williams), but it will be a fairly lengthy recovery. From my non-surgical training, it looks as though rotator cuff impingement precedes the tearing of the rotator cuff. Arias' rotator cuff may not be torn, but it was on its way. Please also keep in mind that I was a history major, and it's extremely likely that I'm full of crap.
Update: Will Carroll, who is not full of crap, said of Arias:
That's bad. Returnable. Have to get the inflammation out. "Impingement syndrome."
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
