Shoulder Pain Treatment

The shoulder joint is formed where the humerus (upper arm bone) fits into the scapula (shoulder blade), similar to a ball and socket. Most ball and socket joints are constructed of a large socket into which the ball fits nicely which is a very stable structure. However, the shoulder joint is made up of a ball which is larger than the socket. This is not a very stable type of joint and tends to be easily injured. Muscles and tendons anchor the shoulder which adds to its stability. Because of its structure, the shoulder has a greater range of motion that any other joint in the human body.

Shoulder pain can take many forms – it can show up when you’re reaching toward the top shelf to put dishes away or when you’re struggling to find a comfortable position to sleep. It can show up as a result of an injury, making you feel a dull aching pain.

There are numerous reasons why you may be experiencing shoulder pain, and the severity can range from the temporary discomfort of a pulled muscle to the agonizing bone-on-bone friction of arthritis.

Whatever the case may be, Prestige Physiotherapy is dedicated to offering you natural pain management modalities that can give relief to your shoulder pain quickly. 

The complexity of the shoulder joint present many opportunities for pain-causing conditions. Some of the most common causes of shoulder pain include:

1. Impingement

 Impingement typically occurs because of abnormal movement and tracking of the humeral head as you lift your arm overhead. Pain typically starts when lifting your arm at or above 90 degrees.

2. Arthritis

The two main forms of arthritis that affect the shoulder are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in the shoulder joint experiences significant “wear and tear,” typically due to age or excessive overuse. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system decides to attack the membranes surrounding the shoulder joint, resulting in pain and inflammation. Both of these result in pain, loss of motion, weakness to the shoulder muscles, and difficulty performing normal, daily tasks.

3. Tendinitis

Tendinitis occurs when the shoulder joint is excessively overused typically due to the demands of a laborious job, overhead activity, or sport. Furthermore, poor posture is a major contributor, as this alters the normal forces on the tendons, and can set you up for tendon injury. This causes the tendons to undergo ongoing inflammation, resulting in swelling and painful impingement when raising your arm. 

4. Frozen shoulder

 Also known as “adhesive capsulitis,” frozen shoulder can occur if your arm has been in a cast or sling for a while, or if you have been bedridden for an extended period of time. Sometimes it can happen idiopathically. It results in a painful loss of motion in the shoulder with a tightening of the shoulder joint that severely limits motion. There are some ethnicities that are more predisposed, and women tend to have more instances than men. Frozen shoulder is more common in women in the 40-60 years of age. 

5. Rotator cuff tear

The rotator cuff is comprised of 4 muscles, tendons, and soft tissue that surround the shoulder joint. The job of the rotator cuff is to correctly guide the movement of the shoulder joint. With injury, overuse, poor posture, or even age, the rotator cuff can be partially or completely torn. Depending on the severity and situation, sometimes surgery is needed, but often the correct physiotherapy treatments can help reduce pain and restore strength to the rotator cuff to compensate for the partial tear. If surgery is needed, physiotherapy is an integral part of the pre and post-surgical rehabilitation for a full recovery.

Links/resources:

Physio-Pedia - Shoulder Pain

Rotator Cuff Tendonitis 

What You Need to Know About Rotator Cuff Tendinitis

Physiotherapy is a natural, easy, and comfortable way to find relief for shoulder pain, without the need for harmful drugs or invasive surgery. The physiotherapists at Prestige Physiotherapy have treated a number of conditions resulting in shoulder pain, with patients finding improvement and relief after just a few short sessions – and sometimes less!

Our physiotherapists are trained in shoulder movement, and trained to pinpoint the cause of your pain through a variety of diagnostic techniques. 

Once we have established the cause of your shoulder pain, we can create a specialized combination of physiotherapy methods to manage and relieve your pain. Gentle manual therapy helps to restore normal joint movement, ease soft tissue restrictions, and promote circulation, while specific therapeutic exercises restore strength, and the correct sequence of muscle activation around the shoulder joint. Finally, we teach you techniques to enhance your strength and to prevent the recurrence of future shoulder problems.

Don’t let your shoulder pain limit your physical abilities any longer! Let Prestige Physiotherapy get you the help you need to start living your normal life once again.