Accuracy of Needle Placement Into The Subacromial Space of The Shoulder

Patients with a diagnosis of rotator cuff tendonitis, having failed other non-operative measures, are offered an injection of steroid and local anesthetic to relieve their pain. This is standard treatment. In this study, patients are prospectively randomized to receive their injection by one of the three commonly used routes: anterior, posterior, or lateral. Accuracy of the injection is determined by including a small amount of contrast dye in the injection which will make the injection visible on post-injection radiographs.