By Danielle Hoguet, DPT
Shoulder pain is one of the most common problems we treat here at Loudoun Sports Therapy Center. Whether it’s a athlete such as a swimmer or baseball player who have pain while performing, or a parent who can’t pick up their child without pain, we treat patients of all ages for problems in the shoulder that prevent them from doing their normal activities.
Shoulder pain can be the result of several factors. Some of these include:
- Repetitive overuse of shoulder muscles
- Poor posture
- Traumatic injuries
Repetitive overuse of muscles can lead to tendinopathy. This is the irritation of the tendons that attach at the shoulder. Common repetitive activities include gardening, yard work, throwing, (think of a baseball or softball player), and carrying or lifting objects. These sorts of actions might not surprise you as common causes of shoulder issues. However, poor posture can also lead to shoulder problems. Standing or sitting incorrectly can lead to impingement of the rotator cuff tendons. It’s often seen in individuals who work a desk job or spend a lot of time at the computer. Common complaints include shoulder pain when lifting the arm to shoulder height and above, as well as pain when reaching behind the back. Traumatic injuries to the shoulder can result from falls, forceful contact with a person or object, and sports and other physical activities. These injuries include rotator cuff tears, labral tears and bicep tears, to name a few.
While shoulder pain and injuries can dramatically impact daily activities, the good news is that all of these conditions can be treated with physical therapy. At Loudoun Sports Therapy Center, our clinicians work to restore your range of motion, decrease pain and inflammation, and improve your strength. We focus on correcting muscles imbalances to avoid recurrent injuries and we also help you re-train your postural muscles to improve joint mechanics and decrease unnecessary strain on your shoulder muscles.
Want to try a simple self-assessment to test for shoulder impingement? CLICK HERE!
If you, or someone you know, is having shoulder pain, don’t try to push through it and risk further damage. Our therapists can evaluate your shoulder, determine what’s causing that pain, what irritates it and what the best treatment method moving for is. Delaying treatment even for minor nagging pain can potentially lead to more serious and chronic conditions that take much longer to treat and recover from. Our therapists can help you get back to the activities you love!
