Considering Shoulder Physical Therapy?
Shoulder Problems and Physical Therapy
One area that Physical Therapy can address is your shoulder pain. Shoulder pain is not as common as back or knee pain, but it still happens.
The shoulder joint is a complex mix of structures composed of three bones, the humerus, the small clavicle found on your chest, and the scapula found on your upper back. It has many ligaments and muscular attachments that help it connect to the chest and upper thorax. The shoulder is an extremely mobile joint, allowing us to reach up, down and to the side. However, since it is mobile, the stability of the shoulder joint has always been an issue and is frequently the cause of shoulder pain.
What can cause shoulder pain?
Causes of shoulder pain can vary and may include simple reasons like poor posture and alignment, or something serious such as a shoulder fracture or injury. Let’s talk about the most common causes and diagnosis of shoulder pain.
Frozen Shoulder - Also medically called the Adhesive Capsulitis. Small, stone-like calcium deposits grow in the shoulder joint causing it pain and to “freeze”. The person affected with frozen shoulder will feel pain even while resting, and this will prompt the individual to be extremely careful and not move the joint at all, which will only worsen the condition. Adhesive Capsulitis has three stages, the first stage (called the Freezing Stage) being the most painful and where you will lose most of your range. The second is called Frozen Stage, in which there is less pain, but a stiffness has developed. And the last stage, called the Thawing Stage, where lots and lots of stretching and joint mobilization should occur as you try to regain your shoulder range of motion. Persons with this condition will complain mostly of extreme pain and the inability to reach over their heads.
Biceps Tendonitis - the bicep is the muscle found in front of your arm. It works a lot during the day, reaching for things on your desk or around your home. Since this muscle does a lot of work every day, its tendon is at risk of inflammation from overuse. Inflammation also happens when the tendon rubs against other ligaments or bony structures within the shoulder complex when a person has bad posture. With tendonitis, the person must try to increase muscle strength and maintain proper postural alignment to prevent it from recurring.
Rotator Cuff Impingement - The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that help give both mobility and stability to the shoulder. These muscles are actually found in your back, and their tendons travel and extend to your shoulder, passing underneath a bony prominence of your shoulder blade. Because of its anatomy, the rotator cuff tendons are at risk of being impinged by bony prominence. When impingement occurs, it can lead to inflammation of the tendons. Both of these conditions lead to shoulder pain. In physical therapy, the goal is to increase the space where your rotator cuff passes through to prevent impingement and tendonitis.
Rotator Cuff Tear - in severe cases, the rotator cuff is not only inflamed, but torn. If the rotator cuff is torn because of an accident or injury, you may experience extreme pain and sudden weakness. When it is because of chronic repetitive strain and rubbing, you gradually feel the pain and muscle weakness, until you notice difficulty doing normal activities, such as reaching overhead, combing your hair or putting on your clothes. Sometimes, a rotator cuff tear may need surgical intervention.
Physical Therapy Treatment
All of the conditions mentioned that produce shoulder pain can be managed by Physical Therapy treatment. It can be hard at first, patients must work through the pain but must keep in mind that physical therapists (PTs) only wants what is best. During an initial appointment, the therapist will perform a physical evaluation and assessment. They will measure range of motion, strength and posture. They will also perform special tests to confirm a diagnosis and rule out other conditions. In addition, the PT will ask questions about medical history. After that, the PT will ask what the goal of physical therapy is. To relieve pain? To be able to play sports again? To be able to go back to work? It is very important to let the PT know these goals, so that both the PT and patient can work on an appropriate treatment plan.
After the initial assessment, the following sessions will consist of various treatment strategies. If the shoulder is still in acute pain and inflammation, physical agents such as hot or cold compresses and/or electrical stimulation may be utilized. The shoulder may need stretching to loosen tight structures; the therapist will perform joint mobilizations and exercises to increase flexibility. After gaining back that range of motion, it's time to strengthen the lengthened muscles. This is to ensure that the muscles stay flexible and strong enough to perform daily activities in the right form.
Even while actively enrolled in a physical therapy program, the patient must continue a prescribed program at home. Most physical therapists will recommend a personalized home exercise program that will help the patient recover faster and assist in preventing any more shoulder pain from recurring.
Click here to find out more about shoulder physical therapy
What to do when not in physical therapy?
When someone is experiencing shoulder pain (or any other body pain), it’s usually a sign that he or she is at risk of an injury, or that there is already a micro-injury within the structure. So, remember to listen to your body. If you feel the pain coming back, consult with your doctor or your PT as soon as possible.
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About Evolve Physical Therapy in Brooklyn-
Brooklyn's Premier Holistic Physical Therapy Clinics-
There’s physical therapy, there’s training, and then there’s EVOLVE. We use the science of biomechanics merged with fitness to help our patients get better and stay better!
First we evaluate, then we heal, then we strengthen our clients so they can reach their goals, feel better, and live happier lives. We do so by utilizing a range of core techniques and specialized treatments to reduce pain, improve mobility, enhance physical strength and deal with the underlying issues, not just the pain itself.
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