When it comes to treating shoulder pain, you have more choices than medicine and invasive surgical procedures. Physical therapists specialize in techniques that help treat a variety of causes of shoulder pain.
Take a look below to learn more about some common shoulder injuries and how physical therapists treat them.
Shoulder injuries physical therapists can treat
- Rotator cuff tears — The rotator cuff is a group of soft tissue that connects your shoulder joint together and powers the joint for a wide range of motion. A rotator cuff tear is a common injury that can occur when straining your shoulder in physical activity.
Physical therapists can help treat a rotator cuff tear by strengthening the tissue surrounding the joint to reduce pressure off the tear while it recovers. Physical therapy treatments also help improve the strength and flexibility of the rotator cuff.
- Labrum tears — The labrum is a thick band of soft tissue that surrounds the socket of your shoulder joint. It’s responsible for holding the ball of the joint in place and keeping the joint stable. Repetitive motions and overexertion of the shoulder can cause the labrum to tear, which is painful and limits your range of motion.
Physical therapists can guide you through therapeutic stretches and exercises to help build back up the soft tissue and muscles in your shoulder when the labrum has been torn.
- Shoulder impingement — When a tendon in the shoulder is inflamed or injured, it can get pinched in the joint, which is known as shoulder impingement. This is painful and can limit the use of your shoulder and arm.
Physical therapists can help reduce the inflammation of the tendon with therapeutic exercises, stretches, manual therapy and other techniques.
- Frozen shoulder — Frozen shoulder is a long-lasting condition that causes increasing pain and stiffness in the shoulder. This condition can last for a couple of years and potentially longer without treatment.
Physical therapists help reduce frozen shoulder pain and improve shoulder flexibility with exercises, stretches and manual therapy.
- Arthritis — Several forms of arthritis can cause pain in the shoulder by damaging the cartilage in the joint. This makes it painful to move the shoulder due to friction between the bones.
Physical therapists can help reduce arthritis pain and improve your range of motion with exercises, stretches and manual therapy. These treatments can reduce pressure off the joint, which helps make it easier to use when it’s been damaged by arthritis.
Visit Border Therapy Services for shoulder pain treatment
Is shoulder pain keeping you from using your arm in everyday life? Our physical therapists at Border Therapy Services specialize in many physical therapy treatments to help you recover from shoulder pain. Contact us today to talk to our team about shoulder pain treatment or to schedule an initial appointment.