Stop It Before It Starts: Simple Tips to Prevent Shoulder Pain

If you’ve ever suffered a shoulder injury, then you know how debilitating it can be. Not only are you experiencing persistent pain, but most shoulder injuries also restrict the range of motion in the joint, making day-to-day tasks — from grabbing a cup off the high shelf to brushing your hair — feel nearly impossible.

At Total Care Physical Therapy, our team of physical therapists will work with you to identify and resolve the underlying causes of your shoulder pain. We offer acute pain relief and can guide you through complete shoulder rehabilitation regardless of whether or not you require surgery, and often, you can resolve a shoulder injury with physical therapy alone!

But that process can take a while, and we want to help you avoid shoulder injuries, too. While we do incorporate injury prevention information into our rehab programs, it’s never a bad time to start incorporating small changes into your routine that can help prevent shoulder pain.

If you’d like to learn more about how we help prevent and alleviate shoulder pain, call us to schedule an appointment today!

What Causes Shoulder Pain and Injury, Anyway? 

Your shoulder is an incredibly complex ball-and-socket joint with several moving parts, including:

• Three separate bones: the humerus (arm bone), scapula (shoulder blade), and clavicle (collarbone)
• Cartilage that wraps and protects these bones from rubbing against each other
• The three main ligaments that connect your shoulder’s bones
• A collection of muscles and tendons known as the rotator cuff that wrap and support the shoulder joint
• Bursae: small fluid-filled sacs that protect your tendons

Damaging any of these structures can lead to shoulder pain, weakness, and immobility. Some people injure their shoulders through sudden, acute injuries, especially if they’re active — a hard fall on the football field could tear their rotator cuff or dislocate the arm bone out of their shoulder socket.

However, many shoulder injuries are actually overuse injuries, meaning the pain and immobility symptoms occur due to repeated micro-injuries in your shoulder’s tissue. Often, sports-related shoulder injuries are actually due to overuse, as repeated overhead motions (such as throwing a ball or certain swimming strokes) put stress on the shoulder joint, leading to symptoms.

Using improper form can also contribute to overuse injuries, such as improper posture — a weak upper back strains your shoulder muscles, making them do more work than needed. 

Preventing shoulder pain is really about preventing these overuse injuries. By making small changes, you can keep your shoulders strong, healthy, and pain-free!

5 Ways You Can Help Prevent Shoulder Pain

1. Strengthen your upper body: Strong upper back and shoulder muscles are better able to provide the shoulder joint with the support and stability it needs, meaning you’ll be less likely to suffer an injury. Not sure how to get started? Our PTs can walk you through some appropriate exercises.
2. Keep your mobility: We can show you simple range of motion exercises that will get the blood flowing to your joints, keeping them healthy. Reaching overhead, across your body, or behind your back are all basic stretches that can do wonders — just make sure you never force a movement! 
3. Don’t forget to warm up first: Many popular recreational activities put you at risk for a shoulder injury, including swimming, pickleball, and tennis. It’s crucial that you warm up your shoulder before you dive in. Try some quick cardio paired with active shoulder stretches (like arm circles).
4. Maintain proper posture: Proper posture isn’t about standing up straight all the time; it’s about maintaining postural awareness and keeping your spine in alignment no matter what you’re doing. And if you have a sedentary job, move around regularly. Both habits will help keep your upper back and shoulders strong.
5. Pay attention to ergonomics: If your workspace isn’t shoulder-friendly, you might wind up with an overuse injury. Simple changes — like adjusting the height of your computer monitor or maintaining good posture when using hand tools — will reduce repetitive stress and lower your chances of developing shoulder pain.

Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554693/, https://www.physio-pedia.com/Evidence_Based_Interventions_for_Shoulder_Pain, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10086287/ 

Get Your Health Back on Track This National Physical Therapy Month

October is National Physical Therapy Month, and at Total Care Physical Therapy, we’re celebrating by reminding our communities that physical therapy is one of the safest and most effective ways to overcome pain, restore movement, and improve overall health.

If you’ve been struggling with pain, recovering from surgery, or dealing with an injury that limits your daily activities, our highly skilled therapists are here to guide you back to doing what you love. Unlike quick fixes that only mask symptoms, physical therapy addresses the root of the problem and provides lasting solutions tailored to your needs.

Why choose physical therapy? Here are just a few of the benefits:

• Improved mobility and range of motion: Therapy helps joints, muscles, and connective tissues move more freely so you can return to work, sports, and everyday life.
• Restored strength: Whether from injury, surgery, or poor movement habits, we identify weaknesses and build them back up to support healthier movement.
• Better overall health: PT encourages healthier habits, improved posture, and increased activity, all of which reduce pain and enhance wellness.
• Lower risk of re-injury: By teaching you safer movement patterns, we help protect your body from future setbacks.

At Total Care Physical Therapy, we believe care should be generous, clearly understood, and focused on helping you achieve real results. Our mission is to positively impact lives by combining compassion, encouragement, and expert treatment for every patient we see.

If pain or limitation is holding you back, there’s no better time to take the first step. Call today or request an appointment. Let’s make this National Physical Therapy Month the start of your journey back to health.

Ergonomic Tips for Good Shoulder Health

Ergonomics is a field of study focused on optimizing the environments in which people work, ensuring a safe, happy, and productive workplace.

Whether you work in an office or at a construction site, your job might contribute to your shoulder pain. Simple ergonomic adjustments can help minimize your risk of a shoulder injury.

At Total Care Physical Therapy, our team evaluates not just your shoulder joint but the entire movement system, including your spine. Our certified McKenzie therapists take a targeted approach to identifying and resolving symptoms!.

If You Have an Office Job…

• Adjust your desk and chair so elbows rest at a 90-degree angle.
  
• Keep your mouse and keyboard close together to avoid overreaching.
  
• Position your monitor so the top is at or just below eye level.
  
• Take regular breaks to stretch and reset posture.

If You Have a Manual Job…

• Avoid bending your torso to pick up items (even if they aren’t heavy). Instead, use positioning devices (like a forklift) to bring the items right in front of you.
• Avoid repeatedly lifting items above your head whenever possible, and remember to keep what you’re lifting close to your body.
• Take regular breaks, to reduce fatigue from repetitive movements.
• Warm up before the workday to prepare your shoulders and spine.

Call Total Care Physical Therapy for Personalized Support

Want to reduce stress on your shoulders throughout the day? Our physical therapists offer personalized ergonomic evaluations and movement strategies to help you feel and function better. Call today to schedule your visit.

Sources: https://www.osha.gov/etools/electrical-contractors/supplemental-information/solutions/tasks-arm, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8959976/