Live Life More Comfortably by Relieving Your Shoulder Pain
We use our shoulders for almost every movement we make, so it’s a big deal if they bother us! There are numerous causes of shoulder pain, and the severity of the pain can range from the temporary discomfort from a pulled muscle to the anguishing bone-on-bone friction of arthritis.
Shoulder pain can also manifest itself in a variety of ways, such as when you reach for the top shelf to put away dishes or when you struggle to find a comfortable sleeping position.
Whatever the cause of your shoulder pain, Central Park Physical Therapy is committed to providing you with natural pain management options.
Common conditions resulting in shoulder pain
Some of the most common causes of shoulder pain include:
Tendinitis
Tendinitis occurs when the shoulder joint is excessively overused typically due to the physical demands of a person’s job, overhead activity, or sport.
Another factor for tendinitis is also poor posture because 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.
Impingement
Impingement is when your shoulder joint compresses one of the tendons that pass through it. It typically occurs because of abnormal movement and tracking of the humeral head due to inefficient rotator cuff muscles.
Arthritis
The two main forms of arthritis that affect the shoulder are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Both of these result in loss of motion, weakness to the shoulder muscles, and difficulty performing normal, daily tasks.
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system attacks the membranes surrounding the shoulder joint, resulting in pain and inflammation.
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in the shoulder joint experiences significant “wear and tear” and the bone surface becomes less smooth. By releasing the tension surrounding the shoulder joint, you can prevent the pain-causing friction.
Frozen shoulder
Frozen shoulder results in a painful loss of motion in the shoulder with a tightening of the shoulder capsule that severely limits motion. It is also known as “adhesive capsulitis.”
Properly functioning shoulders
The shoulder is a “ball-and-socket” joint, which means that the head of the upper arm bone, or humerus, fits into the corresponding space within the shoulder blade, or scapula, and the ends of the bones are protected by a thick layer of cartilage, preventing friction between the bones.
Tendons are also protected from rubbing against the bones by fluid-filled sacs known as bursae. Tendons connect the bones of the shoulder to a group of muscles called the rotator cuff.
Since your shoulders are supposed to have a lot of mobility, they sometimes become unstable and cause issues. The type of pain you experience in your shoulder may differ depending on what is causing it. Pain from impingement, for example, typically occurs when you raise your arm from a specific point in the range of motion.
A degenerated shoulder can cause persistent aches when you move your arm in certain directions. Acute injuries can cause sudden and intense pain, making the movement of your shoulder impossible.
Pain can also occur if something goes wrong with the complexities that comprise the mechanical interplay of the shoulder.
What does a physical therapy treatment plan for shoulder pain look like?
Physical therapy is a natural, simple, and comfortable way to relieve shoulder pain without the use of harmful drugs or invasive surgery. Our New York physical therapists have treated a variety of conditions that cause shoulder pain, most patients report relief after just the first session.
Physical therapists are movement specialists who are trained to prevent and monitor pain using a variety of diagnostic tests and methods.
We will look at your range of motion, strength, coordination, medical history, joint mobility, and joint motion mechanics during your assessment.
We will make a diagnosis and determine your specific treatment plan that will continue to progress each session. We will work towards your specific goals and expectations of each step of your personalized treatment plan. Your therapist will also collaborate with your primary care physician if necessary!
Your treatment plan will consist of an array of techniques that are all designed to improve your mobility, relieve strain & pain, and teach you how to ‘fix yourself’ and maintain these changes long term.
Contact us for effective shoulder pain relief
Shoulder pain may be taking over your life, but it doesn’t have to! Our New York physical therapy practice will provide you with the assistance you require to resume doing the things you enjoy without pain.