Shoulder pain is one of the most common complaints seen by physical therapists and the medical profession. The most common injuries that people hear about include shoulder impingement, rotator cuff injury, shoulder bursitis and frozen shoulder.
The shoulder joint is also the most complex joint in the body and has the greatest degree of mobility or range of motion than any other joint.
Most shoulder injuries occur because the mechanics of the shoulder joint are disrupted due to injury, poor posture, repetitive or overuse movements which are related to work, sports or even simple daily activities.
Frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis is usually the result of not moving your shoulder enough after having a small injury or non-severe pain or after being immobilized after surgery or serious injury. The shoulder problem can be painful but the number one symptom is stiffness or an inability to move your shoulder through your full range of motion.
Shoulder bursitis, shoulder impingement, and rotator cuff problems can result from a direct injury but usually are the result of chronic overuse or poor posture and mechanics during your work and home activities. The specific reason for your shoulder pain is very specific to the activities you perform on a daily basis and the posture that you maintain during the day. That’s why you need to seek the advice of a physical therapist who are experts in helping you to determine what activities and postures you must change to improve your pain and prevent further problems with your shoulder.
Even as complex as the shoulder joint is, your physical therapist will help you identify which problem you have and educate you on the changes in your posture and activities you must make as well as giving you specific exercises designed for your problem and your lifestyle. Your physical therapist may also use manual therapy that includes stretching, soft tissue mobilization, and joint mobilization to prove the range of motion and flexibility of your shoulder joint and muscles. Taping techniques as well as methods to help reduce local inflammation and pain may also be used or recommended by your physical therapist.
The most important decision on restoring your shoulder back to normal and alleviating all your pain is to choose a physical therapist that performs a complete evaluation and designs a specific program for you and the lifestyle you want to achieve. This personalized care is what we provide at all our 21st Century Rehab locations.