Tight Or Achy Shoulders Holding You Back? Try Physical Therapy!
If you’re dealing with shoulder pain daily, it’s a major issue. We utilize our shoulders all day. If you are in pain, it may disrupt your routine, mood, and productivity! No matter what is causing your shoulder pain, we are here for you. Excel Physical Therapy is dedicated to providing you with natural shoulder pain relief options. Make an appointment today at our physical therapy clinic in Oshkosh or Appleton, WI to learn more about our shoulder pain treatment options!
Our team provides top-rated physical therapy for shoulder pain in the Oshkosh and Appleton, WI communities. Consistently voted as Best of Winnebago County for physical therapy and sports medicine, our physical therapists specialize in alleviating your shoulder pain and injuries.
Common Causes Of Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain can range from modest aches and pains caused by a strained muscle to severe bone-on-bone friction caused by arthritis. It can also occur from an accident.
Shoulder pain can show up in a variety of ways. For example, you might find you’re in pain when reaching for the top shelf to put away dishes or having trouble sleeping in a comfortable position.
Some of the most common causes of shoulder pain include:
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common types of arthritis that affect the shoulder. Both of these conditions cause shoulder muscular weakness and make it difficult to complete typical everyday chores. Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition in which the immune system attacks the membranes that surround the shoulder joint.
This condition causes discomfort and inflammation. Osteoarthritis develops when the cartilage in the shoulder joint wears down significantly. This is usually a result of age or overuse.
Rotator cuff injuries
Deep shoulder discomfort, arm weakness, difficulty reaching behind the back, reaching out to the side and difficulty sleeping are all symptoms of rotator cuff injuries, popularly known as “torn shoulders.”. Rotator cuff tears can result from trauma or long term wear and tear due to rotator cuff impingement.
Depending on the severity and circumstances, surgery may be required for this condition, however physical therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for rotator cuff tears and can reduce or eliminate shoulder pain and restore rotator cuff strength without the need for surgery.
Physical therapy will be an important part of the rehabilitation process if surgery is necessary. Excel Physical therapy works with the area’s top surgeons providing skilled treatment and progression of exercise and normal activity after surgery. Our team includes experienced therapists who are board certified in orthopedic physical therapy who understand the surgical procedures and specific rehabilitation protocols after surgery.
Tendinitis
As a result of a person’s job or physical demands, tendinitis can form in a person’s shoulder joint.
Poor posture, tightness and imbalance of movement contributes to this condition because it disrupts the equilibrium of your shoulders and causes tension and weakness in the shoulder and strain or overuse of the rotator cuff and biceps tendons in the shoulder. . Since the tendons become inflamed over time, tendinitis results in swelling or inflammation and severe pain with rotator cuff impingement when you raise your arm.
Impingement
Impingement typically occurs because of abnormal movement and tracking of the humeral head as you lift your arm overhead. Pain typically occurs when lifting your arm at or above 90 degrees. While it can occur due to bony problems in the shoulder, it is usually due to tightness or movement problems in the shoulder joint and shoulder blade (scapula).
Frozen shoulder
Are you experiencing a painful loss of motion and a tightness of the shoulder joint? You might have a condition known as “frozen shoulder”, otherwise known as adhesive capsulitis. Movement can be painful and restricted with this condition.
This syndrome can occur if your arm has been in a cast or sling for a long time, or if you have been bedridden but at times occurs after a minor injury.
Some ethnic groups are more prone, and women between the ages of 40 and 60 are more likely than men to have this condition.
How Can Physical Therapy Combat Shoulder Pain?
Physical therapy is a non-invasive, natural, and comfortable alternative to address shoulder pain. It’s performed without the use of harmful medications. Our physical therapists have treated a wide range of shoulder pain disorders, with many patients seeing considerable relief and improvement after just a few sessions!
Your physical therapist will assess several aspects of your overall health, including:
- Range of motion
- Strength
- Coordination
- Medical history
- Joint mobility
- Joint motion mechanics
To aid in the restoration of normal joint movement, relieve soft tissue restrictions, and promote circulation, gentle manual therapy may be included in your treatment plan. Specific strength-building exercises and a proper muscle activation sequence around the shoulder joint may also be included.
Once the source of your discomfort is identified, our Oshkosh or Appleton, WI physical therapist will be able to build a personalized treatment plan to manage and relieve your shoulder pain.
Physical therapy will also teach you new ways to increase your strength and avoid future shoulder problems.
We can help with a wide range of shoulder problems, including:
- Rotator cuff pain and injury
- Rotator cuff tear
- Rotator cuff tendonitis
- Dislocated shoulder
- Chronic arthritis pain
- Tendinitis and bursitis
- Shoulder replacement
- Cartilage injuries (glenoid labrum tears)
- Subluxation and hypermobility
- Adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder
- Throwing or pitching injuries
- Reverse total shoulder
- Work related shoulder injury and overuse
Looking For True Shoulder Pain Relief? Call Us Today!
Shoulder pain should not control your life. We will give you the help you need to get back to doing the things you enjoy without pain. Make an appointment with Excel Physical Therapy today to begin your journey toward pain relief!