When you are looking for shoulder pain treatment in Visalia, physical therapy is your best bet to help you bounce back!
The shoulder is the most flexible joint in the body, and it allows the arm to move in wide range of directions so that we can perform many of the dexterous tasks needed in daily life. Unfortunately, this extreme flexibility comes at a price, as certain movements, postures and habits can cause damage to the shoulder and result in pain.
The shoulder is not actually a single joint, but a ball-and-socket made up of two joints, which combine with other structures in the region to allow the arm to move as it does. Just about every movement that requires the use of our arms also involves the shoulder in some way, and it’s particularly important for reaching tasks and overhead activities.
Shoulder pain includes any pain that arises in or around the shoulder. It may originate in the joints themselves or from any of the surrounding muscles, ligaments or tendons that make up the shoulder. Most shoulder problems that result in pain are due to a tear or inflammation of a tendon, instability, arthritis or a fracture. One of the most common causes of shoulder pain is when the tendons of the rotator cuff—an important structure that keeps the shoulder in place—become trapped under a bony area of the shoulder, which is called rotator cuff tendinitis. Other conditions that can cause shoulder pain include shoulder impingement syndrome, frozen shoulder, tendinitis and bursitis.
NOTE: Quick Reference Guide to Shoulder Conditions We Treat
People who perform lots of overhead activities on a regular basis like painters, carpenters swimmers and baseball players are all at an increased risk for developing shoulder pain, and bad posture can lead to its development as well. Most shoulder pain will dissipate within a few weeks with some rest and avoidance of activities that may aggravate it, but for pain that’s more severe or lingers for awhile, physical therapy may be necessary. Physical therapy is one of the most proven effective methods to treat all types of shoulder pain, and treatment typically consists of the following:
- Heat, ice, massage and other pain-relieving remedies
- Stretching exercises to improve flexibility
- Strengthening exercises to build back strength
- Posture training for sitting and standing
- Activity modification to help you avoid movements that make the pain worse
The use of physical therapy to treat shoulder pain is also supported in the medical literature as an effective way to foster improvements. In one recent study on subacromial pain syndrome, another term for shoulder impingement syndrome, the conclusion states:
Exercise therapy should be the first-line treatment to improve pain, function and range of motion. The addition of mobilizations to exercises may accelerate reduction of pain in the short term.
Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27288517
Shoulder pain can be a real inconvenience, especially if it prevents you from participating in sports, but we are here to help. Contact us to find out how we can address your shoulder pain and get you back to full strength as quickly and safely as possible.
