If you’ve hurt your shoulder since being quarantined at home, you’re not alone. Everyone has had to learn to get used to a new way of living. For the time being, it’s easy — and understandable — to slip into a sedentary lifestyle that may cause you to tweak your shoulder.
Shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal condition that up to 67 percent of Americans experience at some stage in their lives. And there are many causes of pain in your shoulder because it’s such an open joint, encased as it is in tissue instead of bone. The common reasons for shoulder pain include:
- Overuse
- Poor posture
- Wounds or fractures
- Bursitis
- Arthritis
- A rotator cuff injury
What to Do for Shoulder Pain
If you’ve somehow hurt your shoulder, try these at-home treatments first:
- Give your shoulder a rest by avoiding movement for a while.
- Apply ice, wrapped in a towel or cloth, on the affected area.
- Restrict all types of heavy lifting.
If you don’t feel any improvement after three days, seek physical therapy for shoulder pain at the Southeastern Spine Institute. Physical therapy (PT) is often an effective treatment. Your therapist assesses your condition to rule out serious injuries before developing a specific treatment plan.
Why Go Through Physical Therapy?
The motive of physical therapy is to make your muscle movement around the shoulder less painful and more flexible. A stronger shoulder helps you get back to your day-to-day lifestyle. For many, physical therapy has proved to be a one-point solution for long-term shoulder pain.
Physical therapy for shoulder pain varies, depending on the cause and your symptoms. Your therapist determines the intensity and duration of your treatment after coordinating with your doctor. That’s why you shouldn’t try PT yourself; always consult a specialist if you feel a sharp pain in your shoulders.
Physical Therapy for Shoulder Pain Treatments
An easily treated condition may become a painful problem if left unchecked. If you have shoulder pain, make an appointment with Southeastern Spine to relieve the pain and treat the source. While there are many types of treatments a physical therapist has available, the most common treatments involve:
- Relaxation treatments. A combination of heat and ice relaxes the muscles. Your therapist uses this modality before trying a more invasive approach on your shoulder.
- Hand massage. Manually massaging the shoulder by hand is one of the first methods to judge trigger points and check the physical mobility of the joint.
- Stretch it out. Your physical therapist may ask you to do some intense or long stretch exercises to increase mobility in specific directions.
- Strength conditioning. During your physical therapy for shoulder pain at SSI, your therapist may teach you strengthening exercises to help the muscles to regain their stamina.
- Joint stabilization. Your therapist may increase shoulder mobility by stretching the joint capsule. Since your shoulder is more than bone and muscle, stabilizing the other soft tissue — the tendons and ligaments — decreases your pain on movement.
Your physical therapist may use therapeutic ultrasound, electrical stimulation, athletic taping, and even home exercise programs. The goal is to minimize the physical stress on your shoulder. Your doctor and therapist at the Southeastern Spine Institute provide comprehensive and specialized care for any shoulder condition. Call 866-774-6350 today for an appointment.
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