Shoulder Pain Specialist

What is shoulder pain?

There’s a complex combination of bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments within your shoulder that enable you to rotate your arms and perform the many movements of which you’re capable.

Damage to any one of the structures within your shoulder can affect the whole joint, resulting in loss of function and pain.

What conditions cause shoulder pain?

There are many conditions that cause shoulder pain, which may arise as a result of an acute injury or a gradual deterioration of a particular structure within the shoulder. Typical causes of shoulder pain include:

Arthritis

There are multiple different forms of arthritis, which all cause painful joints. The most common form is osteoarthritis, an age-related condition that develops when the cartilage in the shoulder joint wears out, allowing the ends of the bones to rub together.

Rheumatoid arthritis is another common form of the disease, which develops as a result of an immune system malfunction that causes damage to the membranes surrounding the shoulder joint.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis results from overuse of the shoulder joint, which is often related to the work you do or a sport you play regularly. Overuse causes inflammation in the tendons, which results in pain when you raise your arm.

Bursitis

The bursae that prevent tendons from rubbing on bones sometimes experience friction from neighboring tendons that can cause inflammation. Bursitis typically makes overhead motions painful.

Dislocation

If the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) pops out of its socket in the scapula (shoulder blade), you’ve dislocated your shoulder. This causes severe pain, and when you’ve dislocated your shoulder once, it’s more likely to happen again.

Frozen shoulder

The medical term for frozen shoulder is adhesive capsulitis. It means the tissues in your shoulder become stiff and uncomfortable, often as a consequence of having your arm immobilized or being unable to exercise for a long period.

How does physical therapy help relieve shoulder pain?

Physical therapy plays a vital role in treating shoulder pain. At Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy, your therapist can pinpoint the cause of your pain through a variety of diagnostic techniques, including X-rays and range-of-motion tests.

Once your physical therapist diagnoses the cause of your shoulder pain, they can recommend the most effective mix of physical therapies to help manage or even wholly relieve the pain.

Exercises can be beneficial for easing the pain of osteoarthritis and the stiffness of frozen shoulder. Bursitis responds well to techniques ranging from heat and ice applications to changes in workplace ergonomics or athletic training routines.

You may also benefit from myofascial release therapy, electrical stimulation, kinesiology taping, or laser therapy.

If you’re experiencing shoulder pain, the expert team at Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy can help. Call them today, or book an appointment online.