What Can Treatment Do For Shoulder Pain
Have you ever experienced a sharp, aching pain in your shoulders when lifting your arms in the air? Shoulder pain is one of the most common forms of joint complaints that physiotherapists see on a daily basis, with about 15-30% of patients having shoulder pain at some point in their life.
Shoulder pain can have an unrelenting impact on your everyday life. Even simple tasks such as lifting your handbag or brushing your hair can be incredibly painful and cause discomfort. This can make even the easiest of chores a monumental challenge for you and detract from the joys of life. And this is exactly why seeking professional physiotherapy advice is so important!
So, if you are looking for some guidance on everything you need to know about shoulder pain and the different management strategies you can use, our team at Back in Motion have created a detailed guide that will help point you in the right direction and get you moving again sooner.
What Causes Shoulder Pain
When patients experience pain, they often automatically assume that they have injured their shoulder during sports or slept on it funny, and while these are common causes, they aren’t always the case! In fact, over 70% of shoulder pain and acute injuries to the joint stem from everyday wear-and-tear and daily activities rather than sporting engagements.
While this may sound comforting, finding the underlying cause of the problem may take extensive investigation and may not be as simple as an accidental fall during a game of soccer. Some of the most common causes of shoulder pain are listed below.
Rotator Cuff Issues
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and their tendons that surround the shoulder joint. They act as a protective cushion, securely holding the ball of the joint inside of its socket, allowing you to rotate and lift your arm. Issues with the cuff may occur from tendinitis, impingements, or tears from overuse or injury. Repetitive overhead movement and everyday wear-and-tear as you age are the main contributors to rotator cuff issues, which can result in painful shoulders.
Osteoarthritis
As you age, you may start to develop chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis that may lead to the degradation of the shoulder joint. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis progressively break down the bone cartilage around the shoulder joint, which results in aches, stiffness, and reduced range of motion.
Frozen Shoulder
Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is stiffness and pain that develops gradually after a long period of immobility. Over time, frozen shoulder will result in the gradual loss of movement in the joint. Diabetes and other chronic conditions can also cause frozen shoulder, leading to stiffness, pain, and a reduced range of motion in the affected joint.
Referred Pain
Sometimes shoulder pain doesn’t originate from the shoulder at all! Pain can also be referred from other troubled areas in the body, including the gallbladder, neck, or less commonly, the heart.
From sporting injuries all the way through to chronic health conditions, there are so many different causes of shoulder pain! When it comes to shoulder-related pain, early intervention is key. Seeking professional treatment from a licensed physiotherapist will help you to maximise results and reduce pain.
Immediate Actions You Can Take At Home
When suffering from persistent shoulder pain, there are some steps that you can take at home to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and improve comfort. Whilst in most cases shoulder pain should be treated by physiotherapeutic care, there are some steps you can take while you wait for your appointment to alleviate any pain and make movement more bearable.
Temperature Therapy
Temperature therapy is one of the most effective shoulder pain treatments when it comes to managing inflammation and reducing pain around the joint. There are two different types of temperature therapy: cold therapy (ice) and warm therapy (a heat pack).
Cold therapy works best for fresh injuries, inflammation, or severe swelling. It helps to numb the nerves around the affected area, helping to reduce pain and prevent things from getting worse.
Warmth, on the other hand, is best for ongoing stiffness, muscle tightness, or chronic pain. Applying heat to the area after a long day can help to relax the muscles and increase blood flow, and is typically most effective 2-3 days after sustaining an injury.
Medication
Using over-the-counter pain relief is another way to treat shoulder pain. When pain lingers or becomes too unbearable, medication can help to take the edge off whilst you wait for treatment. When taking medication, make sure to use it correctly to avoid any adverse side effects or complications.
Gentle Stretching
Performing light and controlled movements can help to gently stimulate the joint and prevent stiffness and muscle tightness. Doing exercises such as pendulum swings or wall crawls is a great way to alleviate acute pain and regain gentle movement in the area.
Adjusting Sleeping Position
Everyone has heard the term “I must have slept on it funny and that’s why it’s sore”. And this is true. Spending prolonged hours of the night sleeping on your shoulder can result in pain and discomfort when you wake up. Avoiding sleeping directly on the affected shoulder and using a pillow to support the arm can help to reduce nighttime discomfort and alleviate pain during the day. Some of the most common sleeping positions are:
- Side sleeping positions: fetal, yearner
- Back sleeping positions: soldier, starfish
- Stomach sleeping positions: freefall
Back sleeping positions are ideal when dealing with shoulder pain as your joint remains in a neutral position without extra pressure being exerted on it.
How Can Shoulder Pain Be Prevented
Shoulder pain is incredibly common amongst Australians; however, there are steps you can take to prevent pain and manage conditions in the future.
Warming Up Before Physical Activity
Warming up before engaging in sports or other intense forms of physical activity, especially throwing, swimming, lifting, or performing any overhead work, will help to prevent shoulder pain and increase flexibility and motion in the joint. Cold muscles and tendons are more prone to injury, putting you at risk.
Be Mindful of Your Posture
While you might think that having bad posture will only impact your back, rounded shoulders and a forward head posture put extreme pressure and strain on the shoulder joint over time and can result in chronic pain. Checking your posture regularly will help to prevent pain.
Strengthen the Rotator Cuff
Regular exercises that target the rotator cuff and stabiliser joints in the shoulder will help to protect the joint, particularly if you perform a lot of overhead repetitive work during everyday activities. The next time you go to the gym to do a workout, make sure to incorporate some rotator cuff strengthening exercises too!
Avoid Overhead Repetitive Work
Whilst this can be hard for some people that work in certain industries, avoiding repetitive overhead movement as much as possible is vital to help prevent shoulder pain! Building in rest periods, having a proper stretching routine, or varying movement patterns where possible will help to protect your shoulder joints over time.
Choose Back in Motion to Treat Your Shoulder Pain
Some shoulder pain can be managed at home with proper rest and gentle exercises; however, this is not always the case. Often, physiotherapy treatment is the best solution to treat a sore shoulder and prevent it from getting worse in the future. Having a personalised treatment plan will help you to fully restore movement in the shoulder joint, and get back to moving with confidence again!
At Back in Motion, we specialise in delivering expert physiotherapy care for patients suffering from shoulder pain! With hundreds of positive client testimonials and success stories such as this one from our trusted client, Manori P., who says: “I have been getting treatment for my shoulder injuries from the excellent physiotherapists at Back in Motion for many years and I keep coming back as they keep providing excellent service and treatment appropriate for the injuries I have.”
So, if you are ready to find the right treatment for your persistent shoulder pain, find your nearest available clinic and book an appointment with us via our client information form. Trust us to get you back to enjoying life again.