Shoulder Pain Relief in Northeast Iowa
What causes shoulder pain?
The complexities of the shoulder joint present many opportunities for pain-causing conditions. Some of the most common causes of shoulder pain include:
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Impingement - Impingement typically occurs because of abnormal movement and tracking of the humeral head as you lift your arm overhead. Pain typically starts when lifting your arm at or above 90 degrees.
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Arthritis - The two main forms of arthritis that affect the shoulder are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in the shoulder joint experiences significant “wear and tear,” typically due to age or excessive overuse. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system decides to attack the membranes surrounding the shoulder joint, resulting in pain and inflammation.
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Tendinitis - Tendinitis occurs when the shoulder joint is excessively overused typically due to the demands of a laborious job, overhead activity, or sport. Furthermore, poor posture is a major contributor, as this alters the normal forces on the tendons, and can predispose you to tendon injury.
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Frozen shoulder - Also known as “adhesive capsulitis,” frozen shoulder can occur if your arm has been in a cast or sling for a while, or if you have been inactive for an extended period of time. It results in a painful loss of motion in the shoulder with a tightening of the shoulder joint.
Why do I have shoulder pain?
Your shoulder is capable of accomplishing many physical feats. The shoulder has the greatest range of motion compared to the other joints of your body; however, with its complexities also comes the increased possibility of injury. As a “ball-and-socket” joint, the head of the upper arm bone, (humerus) fits perfectly in the corresponding space of the shoulder blade or “scapula.” Cartilage is present on the end of the humerus, providing a smooth, sliding surface for your joint. The labrum is present on the “socket” portion of the joint, helping to provide more stability for the shoulder joint.
Fluid-filled sacs called “bursae” facilitate the sliding motion of tendons, ligaments, muscles and skin over bony prominences. Tendons are a strong, fibrous collagen tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone. If something goes wrong with the intricacies that make up the mechanical interplay of the shoulder, pain can result.
The type of pain you feel in your shoulder can vary, depending on the cause.
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Rotator Cuff Tears
Rotator cuff tears are another injury that can cause pain in your shoulder. Your rotator cuff is comprised of 4 muscles, tendons, and soft tissue surrounding your shoulder joint. The rotator cuff can become torn or injured, often due to repetitive overhead motions like those performed in sports like tennis or certain jobs like carpentry. If you are experiencing a rotator cuff injury, you will generally feel a dull ache deep in your shoulder, arm weakness, difficulty reaching behind your backs, and disturbed sleep due to pain. It may also be caused by poor posture. At Physical Therapy Solutions, our evidence-based and non-invasive methods can help relieve your shoulder pain and heal your rotator cuff injury.
While some severe rotator cuff injuries can require surgery, there are several cases where physical therapy treatments can work just as well (if not better) than surgery. According to the American Physical Therapy Association, “A recent study from Finland asserts that when it comes to treatment of nontraumatic rotator cuff tears, physical therapy alone produces results equal to those produced by arthroscopic surgery and open surgical repair.” In this same study, a follow-up on 167 patients receiving physical therapy alone for their rotator cuff injuries, demonstrated that conservative treatment, such as physical therapy, and should be considered as the primary treatment for this condition.