Shoulder pain affects those of all ages and training ability. The main symptoms people feel are pain inside the shoulder, sometimes referring down the outside of the shoulder and upper arm. There is usually an experience of stiffness and loss of range of motion, associated with weakness in the shoulder and upper arm. Sometimes depending on how the injury happened there can be numbness, tingling, or a sensation of pins and needles.
Our physiotherapists first use their expert guidance to assess and diagnose the shoulder whilst finding out how the injury happened. The most common causes of shoulder pain we diagnose are rotator cuff disorders (muscles and tendons that stabilise the shoulder), bursitis or inflammation, frozen shoulder and arthritis.
Understanding what the specific injury is then allows us to treat it competently. For example, if someone has just sprained their rotator cuff, we will loosen it up with some deep tissue therapy and give mobility exercises. However, if someone has torn their cuff and can’t lift their arm above their head, they will require a MRI to further diagnose the extent of the injury.
Shoulders can be very painful and, in some cases, require immobilisation for healing. We apply slings to help with healing and can strap up athletes wanting to get back on the field. Our physiotherapists also specialise in post operative treatment for those patients dealing with a rotator cuff repair and total or reverse shoulder replacement.
Some preventative tips that work are- maintaining good posture (back straight, chest proud), engage in regular exercises that strengthen shoulder muscles and avoid repetitive overhead activities when possible.
