How Physical Therapy Can Help With Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain can be a troublesome burden that prevents you from going about your daily tasks. Your shoulder is made up of bones, muscles, and joints that work together to allow you to move your arm in multiple directions. There are many causes of shoulder pain, and physiotherapy is an effective yet non-invasive option to help treat it.

Shoulder Pain Causes

Shoulder pain can arise as a result of excessive physical activity, trauma, poor posture, or in some cases no specific external cause. Some common shoulder ailments that result in pain are:

• Biceps Tendonitis – The tendon in your in your biceps can become pinched by the bones or ligaments in your shoulder, which can cause painful biceps tendonitis.
• Frozen Shoulder – Also known as adhesive capsulitis, this painful condition is a slow but steady degradation of the shoulder’s ability to move. It can last from anywhere from 8 months to 2 years.
• Rotator Cuff Tendonitis – The four muscles that allow you to move your shoulder is called the rotators cuff. If tendons become pinched under the bone or ball joint it will result in painful rotator cuff tendonitis.
• Shoulder Bursitis – The bursa is full of liquid that helps your humerus and shoulder blade slide over each other smoothly. If this sac gets stuck or pinched between the blades, it can cause extreme discomfort.

Shoulder Pain Treatment

For shoulder pain that is a result of trauma, it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. The same applies to any pain that has persisted for more than two weeks and is accompanied by a reduction in basic shoulder mobility. In general, when you initially encounter shoulder pain, you should allow your body to rest. Massaging the area with ice will help to reduce any swelling present and also reduce pain. If you continue to feel pain in your shoulder, it might be a good time to visit a clinic for physical therapy treatment.

Physical Therapy & Shoulder Pain Relief

When you visit the Ultimate Health Clinic, we will start your visit with an initial assessment to evaluate the possible causes of your pain and to formulate a tailored treatment plan for your specific situation. Your range of motion and quality of motion will be measured with a goniometer. If needed, additional tests will be performed to better understand the cause of your shoulder pain.

How We Can Help

Once our physical therapist has completed their evaluation, they will work with you to help control your pain and inflammation through specially tailored exercises that will restore mobility. In most cases, treatments will last from two to eight weeks. After this time, you should notice a dramatic reduction in pain and an improvement in overall mobility. If you are still facing high levels of pain in your shoulder after your initial round of physical therapy, you may be referred to a specialist. This is where you will receive a more invasive solution such as surgery or injections to relive the pain. If you are tired of being in pain, give Ultimate Health Clinic a call at 905-251-0162 today to find out more.