It is not uncommon for people to experience shoulder pain. It can be an extremely debilitating condition for those unfortunate enough to suffer from it. There are many different causes of shoulder pain, but one way that you may be able to reduce your shoulder pain is through physiotherapy or other medical treatments. In this blog post, we will look at how shoulder physiotherapy can help with the reduction in shoulder pain.
What Is Shoulder Physiotherapy?
Shoulder physiotherapy is a treatment for joint pain and injuries that affect the shoulder. The goal of this type of therapy is to decrease or eliminate the symptoms over time in order to get patients back to normal as quickly as possible.
Shoulder physiotherapy combines different methods including manual mobilisation techniques like myofascial release, therapeutic exercise such as rotator cuff strengthening exercises, and stretching methods such as yoga, into one comprehensive package when dealing with these types of problems.
Injuries That Can Lead To Shoulder Physiotherapy
The shoulder is a complex joint that not only allows for arm movement but also serves as the primary stabiliser of your upper body. However, it can be injured in sudden ways including:
- Injured tendons
- Injured ligaments
- Injured nerves
- Torn rotator cuff
- Strained muscles
- Broken bones
- Dislocation
There are also other injuries that may not be so sudden such as bursitis, tendinitis, muscle strain, frozen shoulder, or impingement syndrome that will require shoulder physiotherapy. Other injuries which may indirectly affect your shoulder such as osteoarthritis, herniated disk, or even irregular posture that may prompt a shoulder physiotherapy session.
How Physiotherapy Helps Reduce Shoulder Pain
Physiotherapy is the most effective way to treat shoulder pain. Research into physiotherapy for shoulders shows just how helpful this form of treatment can be when dealing with a chronic injury like rotator cuff syndrome or frozen shoulder. Additionally, many studies have been done on its ability to provide temporary relief for acute injuries such as dislocations, sprains, and strains which are often caused by sports-related accidents involving a jerking motion (e.g., pulling one’s self up).
Shoulder physiotherapy is able to treat both chronic and acute injuries by reducing discomfort and helping people resume their daily activities. In the process, it provides relief from other symptoms such as tingling sensations or loss of strength in the arm muscles.
Physiotherapy Treatments For Shoulder Pain
When it comes to pain relief from injury or time off work due to a shoulder strain, physiotherapy treatments are highly beneficial. Following are some common physiotherapy treatments you might come across:
1). Joint Mobilisation
This type of therapy aims to increase your range of motion by stretching the injured shoulder’s capsule. It is advised that trained professionals perform this type of therapy treatment due to its demand for an understanding of anatomy and physiology skills.
2). Activity Modification
Your physical therapist will provide you with ways in which to modify the way you perform everyday activities, so your shoulders are properly supported. For example, if you’re dealing with a frozen shoulder, they might suggest that instead of resting it excessively for weeks on end for it to unfreeze itself, getting back into some gentle stretching exercises may be worth considering sooner rather than later.
3). Stretches
Stretching is a common type of therapy for shoulder pain. Its purpose is to gently push your muscles further until you regain your range of motion. A physical therapist will likely introduce various types and levels of stretches in an effort to target the parts of the shoulder as well as other joints, depending on what they find happening in these areas during the assessment process.
4). Hands-On Therapy
Using their hands, physical therapists help injured shoulders regain mobility with direction-specific pressure. Relaxing the tissue and improving its elasticity are just two of many benefits from this type of therapy that can be done right in your home or workplace setting so you don’t have to take time off work for recovery as often!
5). Strengthening
Strengthening is a way for you to reduce the pain at your injury site and strengthen other muscles that might be weaker. The intention is to leave you stronger than before, in order to prevent a recurrence of this same type of injury.
When To Seek Shoulder Physiotherapy Services
Your shoulder is an intricate part of your body that can give you a lot of pain. It’s difficult to know when it’s time for the doctor, but there are some signs like not being able to do everyday activities because of the pain. If this happens and bothers you enough, go see your physician as soon as possible so they can examine what needs fixing or recommend seeing a physical therapist if needed. You don’t have anything to lose by getting in contact with one now. After all, professional help could be beneficial!
Summary
Shoulder physiotherapy is an important treatment for those who are suffering from acute or chronic shoulder pain. If you’re suffering from shoulder pain, come in for a consultation with one of our physiotherapists. They can assess your injury and recommend the best course of treatment to help reduce or eliminate your shoulder pain.
Please call us at Melbourne Hand Therapy today (03) 9899 8490 or leave an enquiry and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
