Shoulder Pain Relief
The Simple Solution for Shoulder Pain Relief
Shoulder pain can present itself in a number of ways. You may feel it when you’re reaching to the top shelf to grab a glass or when you can’t seem to get comfortable at night, no matter how you try to adjust your sleeping position. Shoulder pain may occur as a result of an injury, leaving you with an immobile shoulder. The number of reasons why you may be experiencing shoulder pain is vast. Shoulder pain may range from a temporary discomfort of a pulled muscle to the agonizing bone-on-bone friction of arthritis. Fortunately, our San Anselmo or Novato physical therapy practice is equipped with the necessary methods and modalities for treating your shoulder pain. If you have been struggling with shoulder pain and you are looking for relief, contact Sport and Spine Therapy of Marin today to schedule your appointment and find out how our services can benefit you!
Why do I have shoulder pain?
Your shoulder is a complex part of the body. It is known as a “ball-and-socket joint,” meaning that the humerus (head of the upper arm bone) fits perfectly in the corresponding space within the scapula (shoulder blade). The ends of the bone are protected by a thick layer of cartilage, preventing the bones from rubbing together. Fluid-filled sacs known as bursae also protect the tendons from rubbing against the bones. Your tendons attach a set of muscles that are known as the rotator cuff to the bones in the shoulder. The rotator cuff is responsible for producing and controlling motion in the shoulder.
Because of the shoulder’s many complexities, it is capable of achieving a large number of physical feats; however, it is also susceptible to an increased risk of pain and discomfort. There is a lot that goes on in the physical make-up of the shoulder, and if something goes wrong with its mechanical interplay, pain can result. Shoulder pain may range from a dull ache to a shooting pain, depending on how the pain developed.
Pain from tendon impingement typically occurs as you raise your arm up, but stops before the arm is raised completely skyward. Pain that has developed from a degenerated shoulder may create persistent aches every time you move your arm in certain directions. Acute injuries can result in sudden and intense pains that make it impossible for you to move your shoulder at all.
How did my shoulder pain develop?
Due to the complexities of the shoulder, there are several pain-causing conditions that may occur. WebMD states that some of the most common causes of shoulder pain are:
- Dislocation. Dislocations occur when the head of the humerus pops out of place. This type of injury has been reported as being extremely painful, and it’s unfortunately something that you become more vulnerable to after the first dislocation occurs.
- Tendinitis. Tendinitis in the shoulder joint occurs when the joint is excessively overused. Symptoms include swelling and painful impingement while raising the affected arm. This typically happens due to the demands of a sport or labor-intensive job, which can cause the tendons to experience ongoing inflammation.
- Frozen shoulder. Medically referred to as “adhesive capsulitis,” frozen shoulder can occur if you have been bedridden for an extended period of time or if your arm has been in a cast or sling for a while. When you don’t have opportunities to exercise the shoulder, the tissues can stiffen up on you, thus causing this painful condition to occur.
- Arthritis. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in the shoulder joint experiences significant “wear and tear,” typically due to age or excessive overuse. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system sees the joints as a threat. The immune system attacks the membranes surrounding the shoulder joint, resulting in pain and inflammation.
Contact Sport and Spine Therapy of Marin for relief:
The simple solution for shoulder pain relief is physical therapy. It is a comfortable, safe, and natural way to alleviate your shoulder pain. In many cases, physical therapy treatments have even been able to eliminate the need for harmful pain-management drugs or surgical intervention. Our San Anselmo or Novato physical therapists are movement experts, experienced in treating a number of conditions that cause shoulder pain. At Sport and Spine Therapy of Marin, you may find improvement and relief after just a few short physical therapy sessions – and sometimes less!
Our physical therapists are trained to pinpoint the cause of your pain through a variety of diagnostic techniques. Muscle strength and flexibility, joint mobility, and posture will all be evaluated as contributing factors to your condition . Range of motion tests may also be conducted in order to discover which of your soft tissues are contributing to your pain.
Once the root of your shoulder pain has been determined, our physical therapists will design a treatment plan based on your individual needs. This will typically include gentle exercises, which have proven to ease the pain of osteoarthritis and reduce the stiffness of frozen shoulder. They may also include more specialized techniques, such as ice and heat therapies, muscle re-education, stretching, taping, or ergonomics. Strengthening programs may also be implemented as a way to rehabilitate injured muscles or help stabilize a shoulder that is prone to dislocation.
If you are suffering from shoulder pain, Contact Sport and Spine Therapy of Marin today in Novato & San Anselmo, CA to secure your appointment and get started on the path toward recovery!
