Physical Therapy for Shoulders

Shoulder Physical Therapists

Shoulder injury, such as a rotator cuff strain or a dislocated shoulder, causes sharp pain. This intense pain can immobilize the joint. Shoulder ailment pain, like arthritis or frozen shoulder, can have a slower onset.

Physical therapy for shoulder pain treats both types of pain- arthritis and dislocated shoulder. Come into Brooklyn’s TRi PT to experience the best the profession has to offer.

Shoulder pain is a multi-faceted problem. Whether caused by an injury, deterioration, poor posture, or disease- your shoulder pain can become a serious issue if left untreated. The shoulder has a wide range of motion. This makes it the most open joint in your body. Because of the shoulder’s great flexibility, it’s relatively unstable. This makes the shoulder easy to injure. So if you have shoulder pain, find the most appropriate treatment at your local physical therapy practice.

Shoulder pain may not even come from your shoulder. It may originate from the surrounding area.

Your shoulder forms an open ball and socket. This structure relies on a complex network of muscles, ligaments, and tendons. This complex anatomy creates a number of issues that can cause pain. Get an accurate diagnosis from a best-rated physiotherapist. With a precise diagnosis, you can proper treatment.

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What Are Potential Shoulder Pain Diagnoses?

Assuming your condition doesn’t require surgery, physical therapy provides effective treatment for shoulder pain. PT uses different techniques depending on the cause of your pain.

Physical therapy can treat shoulder injuries including:

Shoulder sprains. Shoulder physical therapy exercises are well-suited to help you recover from a shoulder sprain.
Frozen shoulder. A physical therapy frozen shoulder program addresses this injury. Frozen shoulder affects the range of motion in your shoulder.
Bursitis. Bursitis is an inflammation in the joint. It causes pain and a restricted range of motion. It can happen in any joint. Physical therapy for shoulder bursitis treats bursitis pain.
Shoulder tendonitis. Tendonitis is the inflammation of your rotator cuff. If you don’t need surgery, you can find pain relief, decreased inflammation, and increased mobility through physical therapy exercises.
Dislocated shoulder. Physical therapy for a dislocated shoulder gets you back to a pain-free mobile life. Dislocation can occur when the ball of your joint pops out of the socket. Dislocated shoulder PT is part of sports injury rehabilitation.
Separated shoulder. A separated shoulder is a ligament injury. This condition requires rest and rehabilitation. If you’ve torn a ligament, you may need surgery and then rehab.
Cervical radiculopathy. Commonly known as a pinched nerve, this injury results from a nerve root in the cervical spine that becomes inflamed. You can get relief from shoulder impingement physical therapy exercises.
Osteoarthritis. This disease causes the cartilage in your joints to break down. Your bones rub against each other, causing pain and a reluctance to move. You can get arthritis treatment from your physical therapist. Arthritis is a common work-related condition that makes moving your shoulders painful. There are many physical therapy treatments that relieve your symptoms.
Septic arthritis. An infection in your shoulder joint means inflammation that causes pain and stiffness. Physical therapy may involve a lymphatic drainage massage.
Brachial plexus injury. The brachial plexus is a grouping of nerves. These nerves send signals from your spinal cord to your arm, hands, and shoulders. You experience pain if these nerves become stretched, compressed, or ripped. With shoulder physical therapy, you can expect a full recovery.
Thoracic outlet syndrome. Compressed blood vessels or nerves between your collarbone and your first rib cause pain. You feel this pain in your neck and shoulders, coupled with numbness in your fingers. Physical therapy exercises reduce pain and limitations.

Recovery Through Physical Therapy: What to Expect?

Your treatment is specific to the kind of injury or ailment you have. Massage is beneficial in reducing pain. Kneading the injured tissues lessens muscle tension and improves circulation. For more serious shoulder pain, like shoulder bursitis or a dislocated shoulder, you need a more patient long-form PT approach.

Your PT specialists develops a treatment plan to loosen the muscles in your shoulder, arm, and chest during your physical therapy shoulder exercises.

This plan may include:

Laser therapy. This technique uses focused light at a specific wavelength, delivered through a handheld device. It helps speed up the injured tissue’s healing process.
Kinesiology taping. Tape applied to your skin inhibits your muscles and provides pain relief.
Cupping therapy. This is an ancient Asian medicine practice. Cupping involves attaching rounded inverted cups to your shoulder. Cups create a vacuum effect. This technique improves blood flow under the vacuum.

Shoulder pain tends to last about four to eight weeks. You can start to feel improvement in your condition within a few weeks of treatment. Contact your shoulder physical therapist to learn how.