Shoulder Pain

Shoulder problems are common. The shoulder has the most movement of any of our joints. Lift your arm up, move it around, backwards and forwards. As you can tell, no other joint moves as much.

The reason for this movement is that the shoulder is a ball and socket joint but the socket is shallow so the ball moves with great freedom. This essentially means that your shoulder is quite unstable. That is why your shoulder muscles are just so vital to a normally functioning shoulder.

In most cases, if you are suffering shoulder problems it is because your muscles are simply not strong enough or they are uncoordinated.

Luckily, most of these dysfunctions can be normalised after a quality assessment and the provision of injury-specific exercises from your Leading Edge Physiotherapist.

Most shoulder injuries fall into the following categories:

• Rotator Cuff Injuries

• Shoulder Impingement

• Shoulder Dislocations (Instability)

• AC Joint Injuries

• Frozen Shoulder

• Shoulder Arthritis

Shoulder treatment options

Research has shown that managing your shoulder injury with physiotherapy is usually successful.

Normally, you have two options: non-operative (conservative) or a surgical approach. Your condition will dictate which option is best for you at this time.

If a surgical approach is required, then your Leading Edge Physiotherapist may undertake:

• pre-operative rehabilitation to either trial a non-operative (conservative) treatment approach or to condition and prepare your body for a surgical procedure.
• post-operative physiotherapy – to regain your range of movement, strength, speed and function both to normal.

Leading Edge physiotherapists have a special interest and an excellent working relationship with some of Adelaide’s leading shoulder surgeons to provide you with both conservative and operative rehabilitation options to ensure that you will attain the best outcome for your shoulder injury.

I have shoulder problems, what should I do right now?

To help manage your shoulder problems as best as possible:

• avoid or modify activities and positions, which cause your pain. Recovery is easier if you stop irritating the shoulder.
• rest your arm on a pillow when sitting for prolonged periods
• use ice packs for 15 – 20 minutes regularly to help control the pain
• hug a pillow or rest your arm on a pillow during the night.

Your next step is to have your shoulder pain assessed by a Leading Edge Physiotherapist. Contact us or book online today.