Shoulder Therapy is a common condition — affecting 18% to 26% of adults — but that doesn’t mean it’s ever fortunate. The shoulder has the most range of motion of all our joints, so, unsurprisingly, shoulder pain and injuries are standard and incredibly uncomfortable. But if you are looking for noninvasive treatment, then Physical Therapy for shoulder pain relief will be the best option.
The shoulder joint comprises three primary components:
- Humerus (the upper arm bone)
- Clavicle (the collarbone)
- Scapula (the shoulder blade)
These bones, held together by muscles, tendons, and ligaments, let us do everyday tasks easily. Because it’s one of the most-used parts of the body, it’s at a more increased risk for injury, so it’s essential to understand how to shield the shoulders and properly treat shoulder pain and injuries.
Common Injuries that Lead to Shoulder Pain Treatment
Knowing why you’re encountering shoulder pain is the first step to treating it. Different activities, including seemingly harmless ones, can injure the shoulders like sitting at your desk at work. The types of shoulder injuries can be divided into two main categories: sudden injuries and injuries born from overuse.
Sudden Injuries
Also known as acute injuries, these can result from anything from tripping and landing on your shoulder to unnaturally twisting the shoulder. Sudden injuries can include:
- Bruises
- Injured tendons
- Injured ligaments
- Injured nerves
- A torn rotator cuff
- Strained muscles
- Broken bones
- Dislocation
After an acute shoulder injury, you’ll likely see bruising or swelling immediately, and you may feel tingling or numbness if the injury results in a pinched nerve or damaged blood vessel.
Overuse Injuries
Overuse injuries can be more threatening than acute injuries since they can evolve slowly over time due to your everyday activities. They’re the outcome of the shoulder joint or the surrounding tissue facing excess stress, and you may not even recognize anything’s wrong until you unexpectedly find yourself with an annoying shoulder pain to deal with. Overuse injuries can include:
- Bursitis
- Tendinitis
- Frozen shoulder
- Impingement syndrome
While acute and overuse injuries are the most typical reason for shoulder pain, there are a handful of less-common injuries that can also impact your shoulder, including:
- Irregular posture
- Osteoarthritis
- Herniated disk
- Calcium buildup
- Infection
Physical Therapy for Shoulder Pain
Whether rotator cuff tears or other injuries to the muscles surrounding the shoulder, physical therapy for shoulder pain is often a prosperous, non-therapy treatment; it aims to strengthen the muscles around your shoulder to enhance its function and mobility.
Your doctor may refer you to a physical therapist to deal with your shoulder pain, and the physical therapist will analyze your injury and establish the best course of treatment.
The treatment will be custom-designed to help you heal from injury and regain mobility. Your therapist may also advise how to alter your everyday activities to support your shoulders better to avoid re-injury. You may also be assigned a unique home exercise routine to help you maintain your mobility once your therapy sessions are complete.
In some cases, physical therapy for the shoulder can prevent the need for surgery. Therapy is highly beneficial for older adults with a lower success rate with surgery. Studies show that most patients find physical therapy for shoulder injuries adequate, although therapy for recovery can vary from person to person. Even in cases where surgery is unavoidable, physical therapy is a great way to read and support the body before and after surgery.
Physical Therapy Treatments for Shoulder Pain
Depending on the specifics of your injury, the shoulder therapy that your physical therapist will prescribe will likely contain one or more of the following types of treatment:
- Ice Therapy
- Heat Therapy
- Hands-on Therapy
- Stretching
- Strengthening
- Joint Mobilization
- Ultrasound
- Electrical Stimulation
- Athletic Taping
- Kinesio Taping
- Activity modification
- Workplace ergonomics
- Home exercise program
Physical Therapy Exercises for Shoulder Pain
While your physical therapist best prescribes specialized exercises to target your specific shoulder injury, there are particular exercises you can do at home for everyday shoulder pain. These exercises may be part of the physical therapy treatment plan. Still, they’re also an excellent way to loosen up any tightness or tension in your shoulder and potentially help prevent an injury from occurring.
As with any exercise, it’s essential to know your limits, not push yourself too hard, and risk another potential injury.
Across the Chest
Bring one arm across your chest and hold it in place with your other hand. Release your arm and repeat with the opposite arm. This is one of the easiest physical therapy shoulder exercises out there. It’s great to do while sitting at work watching TV or as part of your daily morning stretches. It’s designed to help the shoulder joint and its muscles maintain or improve flexibility and range of motion.
Pendulum
With one hand resting on the back of a chair, allow your other arm to hang loosely and circle it a few times, clockwise and counter-clockwise. Then, release and repeat on the opposite side. Doing this exercise a few times a day will help increase flexibility, and it’s also great for warming up your joints before a workout.
You can try doing more physical therapy exercises.
Doorway Stretch
Stand in any doorway with both elbows forming right angles. Step one foot forward while pressing your palms into the door and lean forward slightly, using your core muscles to remain steady. Repeat the move with the other foot and complete a handful of repetitions to let your chest and shoulders stretch and strengthen.
Downward Dog
Better known as a famous yoga pose, Downward Dog is great for stretching and strengthening your shoulders and back muscles. Start on your hands and knees, then press into your mat with your palms to lift your hips. Keep your knees a little bent if you need and distribute your weight among your palms and feet. Your spine should be straight, with your head pulled towards your feet, allowing your shoulders and back to stretch above your head correctly.
Final Words
Physical Therapy plays a crucial role in effectively managing and rehabilitating shoulder pain. Through targeted exercises, manual techniques, and patient education, physical therapists can address underlying musculoskeletal issues, improve range of motion, and strengthen the shoulder girdle.
Therefore, physical therapy for shoulder pain remains a cornerstone of comprehensive and effective treatment strategies.
