The shoulder is the most complicated joint in the body and has to move through an incredible range of motion while maintaining strength and support. The shoulder actually has four joints that connect your humerus, collarbone, and shoulder blade to function as one unit. Shoulder pain can occur for a variety of reasons but is typically from poor posture, weakness of rotator cuff muscles, or injury.
Since the shoulder motions are so complex, it takes experts in movement analysis to truly understand what is the root cause of your problem. Our experienced physical therapists at Total Care Physical Therapy have years of medical training in movement analysis to determine exactly where your pain is coming from. We put together a comprehensive treatment plan that will quickly relieve your pain and return your shoulder’s full range of motion. The goal is to get you back to normal activities, as pain-free and as quickly as possible. Furthermore, we educate you on posture techniques and simple exercises you can do to maintain your shoulder health.
If you have had shoulder surgery, count on us to work with you and your physician to achieve the best outcomes. With years of experience in helping patients fully recover from shoulder surgery, you are in good hands at Total Care Physical Therapy. Contact us today at Hillsborough, NJ center to learn more how our Physical therapists can help you quickly relieve your pain!
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Read our health blog on 3 ways to beat achy shoulders by clicking here!
FAQs
What is the best exercise for shoulder pain?
While there is no one-stop solution for shoulder pain, there are many exercises that can be done to help strengthen the rotator cuff region and ease the pain you are expereincing. Our physical therapists are highly trained to help improve the flexibility and range of motion in your shoulder, in addition to relieving your pain and discomfort. This will be done through an individualized treatment plan designed specifically for you, including therapeutic modalities and targeted pain-relief exercises. A couple common rotator cuff-strengthening exercises that physical therapists prescribe are wall push-ups and chair push-ups. Resistance bands can also be used to increase the strength in your shoulder and help relieve pain. However, it is important to note that if your pain is serious, these exercises should not be performed without the aid of a physical therapist.
How many types of shoulder pain exist?
When it comes to your upper extremities, injuries typically fall into two categories: acute or overuse. Acute injuries are caused by a single specific incident, such as a strain or tear. Overuse injuries are caused by excessive repetitive movements over time. Both acute and overuse injuries can range from mild to severe and can have a significant impact on daily life function. Shoulder pain can also be chronic, meaning it has persisted for 3 months or longer, despite efforts to relieve it. If you have been living with chronic shoulder pain, it is in your best interest to consult with a physical therapist as soon as possible, so they can get to the root of the problem and treat you accordingly.
Can physical therapy help shoulder pain?
Two of the biggest goals of physical therapy are 1) to alleviate your pain and 2) to improve your function. Your physical therapist will work with you to make sure that both of these are achieved throughout your physical therapy sessions. Physical therapy has been proven to manage the pain of several conditions, and in many cases, it has even been proven to eliminate shoulder pain altogether, thus making the need for harmful drugs or surgical intervention obsolete.
What are the causes of shoulder pain?
There are several underlying causes that could result in shoulder pain. For example, a sudden injury or trauma to the shoulders can cause them to become painful. Repetitive motions can also cause shoulder pain, as your muscles, joints, and tendons are working in overdrive. While there are multiple factors that could be causing your pain, some of the most common include sprains, strains, a torn cartilage, dislocation, frozen shoulder, tendinitis, and arthritis.