Os Acromiale as a Cause for Shoulder Pain in a Competitive Swimmer: A Case Report

Shoulder pain is the most common orthopaedic complaint of competitive swimmers. Epidemiological studies have reported the incidence and recurrence rates of shoulder pain to be as high as 80% among top US competitors.16 Although the precise origin of pain may be elusive, the term “swimmer’s shoulder” has been used to describe the inflammation resulting from dynamic impingement of the rotator cuff and coracoacromial arch. Long training seasons, repetitive overhead arm motion, overuse fatigue, increased glenohumeral laxity, and poor swimming technique may all contribute to the shoulder pain that frequently occurs in this unique group of athletes.2,10,11,15,17 In this report, we present a female Division I collegiate swimmer with shoulder pain secondary to a symptomatic os acromiale. This patient’s presentation serves to provide clinicians a sentinel reminder to consider all potential causes of shoulder pain in competitive athletes, particularly in the setting of a more common, confounding diagnosis.