Shoulder pain is, in many ways, an underrated issue in most people’s lives. We think about back pain or knee pain, but for whatever reason, shoulder pain seems more like the outcome of an injury than something chronic and debilitating.
But that’s not the case. Shoulder pain is actually among the more common and severe pains in the United States. A report by the BMC Musculoskeletal Disorder makes that clear.
Shoulder pain is a common and disabling complaint. The reported annual incidence of shoulder pain in primary care is 14.7 per 1000 patients per year with a lifetime prevalence of up to 70%. Recovery from shoulder pain can be slow and recurrence rates are high with 25% of those affected by shoulder pain reporting previous episodes, and 40 to 50% reporting persisting pain or recurrence at 12-month follow-up.
Why? Because chronic shoulder pain can come from anywhere. It can be made worse every day. And unless it is taken care of properly, it can recur just from living your day to day life.
That’s why therapy for chronic shoulder pain is vital to relieve pain and restore your well-being. If you are having trouble with your shoulders, help, and a better life, is within reach.
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Common Causes of Shoulder Pain
Day after day, you use your shoulders to perform nearly every task. Stretch, pick up a pen, grab something off the shelf – your shoulders are versatile and remarkable, but subject to the same stresses and wear and tear as any other joint.
Some of the more common causes of chronic shoulder problems include:
- Swimmer’s Shoulder (tendon rubbing on shoulder blade)
- Rotator cuff tear
- Adhesive camsultities
- Arthritis
- Shoulder instability
- Pinched nerve
- Stiffness (frozen shoulder)
- Injury or accident
- Repetitive stress injuries
These aren’t the only reasons. You can suffer shoulder pain from issues with your reach, your job, from playing sports, or even just picking up the kids or grandkids. The way you use your shoulders every day, for the most basic and mundane of things, can lead to repetitive stress, or exacerbate an existing injury.
Symptoms of Chronic Shoulder Pain
Having pain after 12 months seems excessive, but as we saw above, it was the case for 40-50% of people suffering shoulder pain. That’s because shoulder pain is unique to every person, with different causes and exacerbating factors.
Because the shoulder is used in so many different ways, in conjunction with so many other body systems, the symptoms are not just what we usually think of as pain. Some symptoms of chronic shoulder pain can be:
- Pain deep in the shoulder joint or the upper part of the arm
- Pain during movement
- Pain and stiffness
- Reduced arm movement
- Burning pain
- Pins and needles, or tingling pain in the shoulder
- Weakness of the shoulder and upper arm
When your shoulders hurt, you can do less. That’s why so many people look for a solution that works and is sustainable. More often than not, that solution is going to be therapy.
Does Therapy for Chronic Shoulder Pain Work?
When your shoulder or shoulders are in pain, and the day-to-day activities of life are reduced or made otherwise unpleasant, your primary thought is reducing the pain. The pain is what your mind is focused on, of course. That’s why nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids are so popular. They reduce the pain or even make it go away quickly.
But of course, pain relief isn’t lasting without treatment. Having a way to reduce pain immediately is important and can be crucial for your quality of life. Treating shoulder pain symptoms without addressing the underlying problem, however, is just swapping today’s pain for tomorrow’s even worse problem.
For more long-term relief, there are two primary (and non-exclusive) options:
- Surgery
- Therapy
These are non-exclusive because surgery nearly always demands therapy for recovery, but therapy doesn’t have to be preceded by surgery. Instead, therapy can be a way to potentially avoid surgery while reducing pain in the short-term and helping to heal the problem in the long-term.
The great benefit of therapy is that it is a goals-based solution to your shoulder injury. It is set up not to reach some abstraction of “cured” but to meet goals like “play golf” or “reach high things” or anything you want to do.
Our Physical Therapists will tailor your physical therapy treatment plan to your needs. Recommendations may include activity modification to provide a conservative treatment approach with the goal of restoring full activity if possible.
Some pain requires surgery, and your doctor and therapist can help determine that. But the important thing is to start therapy as soon as possible.
When Should You Start Therapy For Shoulder Injuries and Chronic Pain? Right Now.
When you are suffering from shoulder pain for any reason, your life is harder. The daily work of lifting, reaching, and exercising can be challenging or even impossible. Don’t wait another day to get your therapy started. The sooner you schedule your shoulder pain therapy appointment, the better.
- Quicker Recovery Time. Start now and potentially see measurable results in a matter of weeks
- Fewer Complications: Injuries can compound, especially in the shoulder area, due to overcompensation, so taking care of it now prevents worse outcomes down the road.
- Better Lifelong Shoulder Health: Do more than get better: learn how to stay better and live healthier for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shoulder Therapy
Q. If my shoulder doesn’t hurt too bad now, can I wait?
A. No. If your pain is in any way inhibiting function, don’t wait. Waiting makes problems worse, compounds issues, and makes recovery longer and more challenging.
Q. Are there telehealth options?
A. Yes In-person is recommended, since there is more equipment and an in person-therapist can better judge progress. But telehealth capabilities can be robust and effective.
Q. So, why can’t I just do this on my own at home?
A. There are a lot of reasons why in-home, unsupervised therapy is ineffective. Your form may be off, your exercises not effective, and it can be challenging to self-motivate.
Q. What if therapy doesn’t seem to be working?
A. It’s easy to get discouraged without immediate results. But therapy is designed to realize gains if you stick with it and put in the effort.
Q. So when will my therapist tell me that my shoulder is 100% fine?
A. Probably never. That’s not always how it works. But your therapist will help you move ever-closer to your goals while reducing and minimizing pain.
Q. Is shoulder physical therapy hard?
A. It can be. But you’re going to want to be using your shoulder for a lot longer. What you can accomplish, and the amount of comfort you’ll be living in, is up to you and it starts today.
What Your Personalized Shoulder Therapy Plan Looks Like
Therapy is a two-way commitment. Your therapy team is committed to helping you meet your goals, but you have to be committed to reaching them.
Each person’s plan is a little different, because each person’s goals — and causes of shoulder pain — are a little bit different.
The Process
Testing
When you come in, your therapist is going to do a thorough evaluation of your condition to get an accurate picture of how your shoulders function and what can be done to improve it. This process can include testing:
- Range of Motion
- Grip
- Strength
- Pain
This is different for everyone. Some people can grip fine but not be able to rotate their arms. Others might be the opposite. Knowing your limitations can help overcome them.
Goals
What do you hope to get out of therapy? What is causing you stress, discomfort, and pain? What everyday and long-term activities is your shoulder pain obstructing?
An outcome analysis is designed around what is known as functional deficits. When you identify a deficit, your therapist can create a plan to best it.
Setting the Time Frame
If you’ve been suffering from chronic shoulder pain, you may have spent years dealing with (or ignoring) pain. The truth is that it isn’t going to get better overnight. The goal is to achieve sustainable progress that builds up strength, motion, and overall shoulder and arm health.
A common timeframe is 4-6 weeks, with 6-8 weeks being standard for creating real muscle strength. Again, this varies for each individual.
The Actual Routine
Your routine is determined by your therapist, their team, and yourself. No two treatments are alike, but each can include some of these components.
- Exercise (for shoulders, lots of reach, grip, rotation, and range or motion)
- Manual (simulating the actual day-to-day activities you want to accomplish)
- Modality (acupuncture, ice bath, manual therapy, massage — as determined by therapist)
Check-Ins
After every session, it’s important to check in with your therapist, and yourself. How are you responding to the therapy? What worked and what didn’t? Are you getting closer to the goal, or do you need to adjust?
Adaptation is crucial to life, and crucial to therapy.
Keeping Progress After Therapy
The end of scheduled therapy doesn’t mean the end of your recovery. This will be something you’ll carry with you your whole life.
Home Exercises
Your therapist will set you up with exercises you can do at home. They will keep your shoulders strong, operational, and in a state of steady improvement.
Check-Ins
Continue checking in with your therapist about your progress or if there are exercises and routines that aren’t working. Remember: waiting is the enemy of progress. If something goes wrong, don’t just assume it will get better.
Better Knowledge of Your Body
One of the best parts about therapy is you learn what works for your body and what doesn’t, so you can take great care of your shoulders for years to come.
Don’t Live With Shoulder Pain. Live Your Life.
You don’t have to let shoulder pain dictate the rest of your life. Reach out and take control. It starts with an assessment at an ATI clinic near you. Book your complimentary screening today and discover what physical therapy can do for you!