Physical Therapy for Shoulder Pain

It is estimated that approximately 3 out of 10 adults are affected by some degree of shoulder pain at some point in their lives. Contrary to popular belief, shoulder pain is not something you have to 'live with'.

If you have pain in your shoulder, please consult a doctor for a detailed evaluation. Most doctors will conduct a three part evaluation consisting of a medical history, physical exam and tests to isolate the problem.

• Medical history involves an analysis of your past and current records to identify underlying factors that may have caused the injury.
• The physical exam can be quite extensive and sometimes painful. The doctor may poke, prod and pull your arm in different directions to determine the location and type of pain you are experiencing.
• Testing can be quite extensive since the doctor is now trying to get to the root of the problem with some advanced methods to test the function of bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and nerves. Testing can also include referring you to get X-rays or MRI tests to help with diagnosing the problem.

Once you have the diagnosis, it is important to take the next step and ask your doctor if a consultation with a physical therapist is the right choice for you.

There are various treatment options for shoulder pain. Some of the options include:

• Medication – Pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs can help provide some degree of pain relief. However, using medicine will only help mask the pain and doesn't get to the source of the problem.
• Physical therapy – This includes exercise and manual therapy involving various types of joint manipulation, massage and deep tissue massage. Physical therapy plays an important role in the recovery process. Modalities like ultrasound, electrical stimulation and heat / ice may be needed to help with pain and inflammation.
• Surgery – In extreme cases, surgery may be required. Talk to your physician, who may refer you to an orthopedic specialist to determine if surgery is the right solution for you.

If you have questions regarding your examination, diagnosis or treatment options, we are here to assist you.

If you have shoulder pain, ask your doctor if physical therapy is right for you. A physical therapist is trained to evaluate all the mechanisms that involve bones, joints, and muscles. Since we are specialists in motion and pain relief, chances are that we can get to the root of the problem and identify exactly what's causing the pain.

We work with your doctor as a team and find the fastest way to relieve your pain and get you back to work. We understand this can be a very frustrating condition because it can affect your daily activities.

We help you by custom designing an exercise program that includes:

• Range of motion exercises – these exercises help restore mobility in your shoulder and help you overcome the inevitable joint stiffness.
• Resistance exercises – we'll teach you innovative ways to use weights or rubber tubing to provide light, progressive resistance so you get stronger and recover faster!
• Stabilization exercises – these advanced exercises will increase the stability of your shoulder muscles and help minimize the chances of re-injury.

Please contact us to learn what we can do for you. It's time you stopped worrying about shoulder pain and reached for the stars. We'll help you get there!