Heal Causes of your Shoulder Pain with Physical Therapy

Do you have shoulder pain? Did you know that the shoulder pain can be an outcome of rotator cuff damage? Yes! You’ve heard it right. Shoulder pain comes along with some specific motions resulting from rotator cuff issues.

 

No doubt shoulders are a complex part of the human body. Shoulders are the most flexible and moveable joints. Your shoulder has to move through more than 180 degrees and in many directions. Shoulders can rotate, spin, as well as slide.

Shoulders consist of multiple muscles, bones, and tendons, which offer great mobility. With the help of shoulders, we can perform various daily tasks and perform different exercise regimens. But unfortunately, it also means that there are several chances that shoulders become injured, which not only result in lack of mobility but also in shoulder pain.

 

Shoulder pain is felt in the body muscles present between neck and shoulder, and outside shoulder that is radiating down. The place where you feel pain can determine the exact structures involved in causing shoulder pain.

5 Most Common Causes of Shoulder Pain

 

There can be multiple causes of shoulder pain. Weakened muscles, poor posture, lack of proper range of motion; any injury can be the reasons for your shoulder pain.

 

Be it any cause; shoulder pain makes it difficult for people to complete their daily tasks. In certain cases, shoulder pain can make it almost impossible for people to carry out their daily living activities, if it is not cured.

Many patients seek physical therapy to reduce their chronic shoulder pain. Physical therapy is one of the safest, non-invasive, and effective treatment options to relieve shoulder pain that can be the result of a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, workplace injuries, sports injuries, and other reasons.

 

But before delving into how physical therapy can heal causes of shoulder pain. Let’s discuss some common causes of shoulder pain.

·       Tendinitis

This condition refers to the inflammation in the shoulder. Tendinitis occurs due to inflammation in tendon muscles in the shoulder area. This condition affects people who are physically active such as athletes and those who are actively involved in works that require repetitive motions.

So, if you’re an athlete or a professional painter, or you are involved in a job that requires the active involvement of your shoulder, you are at high risk of developing this condition that may lead to shoulder pain.

·       Bursitis

Shoulder is one of the complex joint consisting of an intricate network of several moving parts. One of the key components in the shoulder is ‘Bursa’. In this condition, joints are inflamed and severely affect Bursa containing fluid-filled tiny sacs. Bursitis occurs in body areas that are moved repetitively such as shoulders.

If you have bursitis, you may feel stiffness and pain in your shoulders. Physical therapists help ease the joint inflammation and thereby relieving pain symptoms.

·       Frozen Shoulder

This condition refers to the physical inactivity of your shoulder for an extended period. This condition exacerbates over time that leads to stiffness and pain in the shoulder.

A physical therapist can help improve the range of motion and thereby healing this cause. If frozen shoulder follows any injury, physical therapists may recommend patient to rest their achy shoulders to avoid developing any scar tissues in the shoulder.

·       Tendon Tears

Due to any degenerative condition or acute injury, tendons in the shoulder may tear. Tendon tears may also result from the natural ageing process. In either condition, the patient may experience severe shoulder pain. This may require them to visit a trained physical therapist.

·       Impingement

Impingement in shoulders results when the shoulder blade constantly puts pressure on soft tissue in the arm. When the individual lifts his/her arm, the shoulder blade rubs against bursa and tendons that lead to shoulder pain.

·       Shoulder Instability

Instability causes a loose joint and can be a result of overuse or dislocation of joint resulting from traumatic injury. Shoulder instability can also be caused by ligament laxity, labrum tear that keep your shoulder in the joint socket.

 

Since the muscles provide stability to shoulder, physical therapists help train and strengthen muscles so that they could better support your shoulder.

Role of Physical Therapy in Healing Causes of Shoulder Pain

 

Do you have difficulty reaching something that is on the shelf? Do you feel pain in shoulder while getting dressed or reaching into your back? Or have you ever refused to any of these tasks just because you feel stiffness and pain in your shoulder? If your answer is yes to these questions, you need to seek help from a physical therapist.

 

 

A physical therapist is a highly trained and licensed professional who is responsible for treating a wide range of diseases, injuries, and other chronic conditions. The key goal of physical therapy is to enhance your quality of life by eliminating your body pain and boosting your muscle strength and mobility.

How can physical therapy help?

Physical therapists initially examine your range of motion, muscle strength, as well as they check the functional abilities, ask about your goals.

 

After determining the main cause of shoulder pain, they create a personalised treatment plan for you to relieve your shoulder pain and improve motion. The main goal of physical therapy is to restore the normal shoulder movement of the patient without exacerbating pain.

Physical therapy treatments may include different methods to reduce shoulder pain, such as:

 

  • Stretching of Muscles
  • Joint Mobilisation
  • Muscle Strengthening Exercises
  • Athletic Taping
  • Electrical Stimulation
  • Home Exercise Program

 

In addition, the physical therapy program may also include heat and ice treatment to heal the causes of shoulder pain. Your physical therapist may also offer you advice regarding modification in your activities and other exercise programs to maintain the quality of your life.

 

So, if you or any of your loved is experiencing shoulder pain, it is recommended that you seek help from a physical therapist. This is because physical therapy is the non-invasive and at the same time effective method to reduce the shoulder pain.