| Shoulder pain can develop from a microtrauma (a | | | | 1. Therapeutic exercises: this will consist of range of |
| rather benign, repetitive activity) performed over a long | | | | motion, conditioning, and strengthening exercises. The |
| period of time that gradually wears down the tendons | | | | goal here is to maximize and restore any loss of |
| in the shoulder until they become inflamed. It can also | | | | range of motion, improve the overall endurance of the |
| be caused by a macrotrauma (a more significant | | | | shoulder blade and shoulder muscles and to improve |
| event or activity that can easily be identified as the | | | | the strength of these same muscles. Adequate |
| source of the shoulder pain). This could be a fall onto | | | | strength of the shoulder blade muscles is just as |
| the shoulder or onto the outstretched arm. Regardless | | | | important as having strong rotator cuff muscles. These |
| of the cause of the pain the treatment is often similar | | | | two groups must work together in order to restore |
| from case to case with some individual variations. | | | | normal biomechanics and to prevent further injury. |
| Treatment of the shoulder can encompass several | | | | 2. Manual therapy: this will consist of hands on |
| different areas. Conservative measures include | | | | treatment that the physical therapist would perform on |
| medication such as anti-inflammatories or pain | | | | you. This might consist of joint mobilization (i.e. |
| medications, rest, cortisone injections, and or physical | | | | techniques designed to improve joint motion and |
| therapy. All of these methods can be effective in | | | | relieve pain), or soft tissue massage (i.e. techniques |
| helping relieve a painful shoulder especially when they | | | | designed to improve muscle and connective tissue |
| are performed in combination with each other. | | | | flexibility and to relieve pain). |
| Often times when you present to your medical doctor | | | | 3. Modalities: this consists of machines that the physical |
| with complaints of shoulder pain they will prescribe | | | | therapist may apply to your painful shoulder to assist in |
| some medication as described above. It is easy to | | | | pain relief and healing along with the other treatments |
| recommend that a person rest the painful shoulder but | | | | mentioned above. Some of these machines are |
| it may be difficult to do depending on their occupation | | | | ultrasound, electrical stimulation, TENS, or iontophoresis. |
| or responsibilities at home. Injections for the painful | | | | All of these interventions can be used in the treatment |
| shoulder are sometimes given right away depending | | | | of a painful shoulder. It is common in clinical practice to |
| on your medical doctor's philosophy. Some MD's would | | | | use a combination of these interventions. It has been |
| rather you attend physical therapy before considering | | | | my experience in treating hundreds of shoulder |
| injecting the painful shoulder. Injections are not the end | | | | patients over the years that therapeutic exercise is an |
| all beat all and they do not offer relief to all patients | | | | absolute in the treatment of the painful shoulder. Well |
| that receive them. Often times a well rounded physical | | | | rounded exercises that target the shoulder blade and |
| therapy program can alleviate shoulder pain and you | | | | shoulder muscles are the mainstay of any good |
| won't have to consider having an injection. | | | | physical therapy regimen for the treatment of shoulder |
| Physical therapy treatment can consist of the following | | | | pain. A painful shoulder can persist for years. With the |
| interventions: | | | | right education you won't have to suffer any longer! |