The shoulder is a common region in which people complain of pain and discomfort and trouble lifting their arm. Shoulder discomfort and pain can commonly affect our ability to get a good nights’ sleep, carry groceries, shower, wash clothes, reach into overhead cabinets, and to tuck in our shirt.
Don’t let shoulder discomfort and pain limit you these activities or anything else!
Minor inflammation or minor tears can become worsened if aggravating factors are not addressed and prevent you from playing tennis, reaching that plate from the upper cabinet or scratching that itch in the middle of your back. The sooner treatment is initiated, the better.
There are many different reasons for shoulder pain and therefore many different presentations of shoulder discomfort and pain.
- Repetitive overuse
- Posture, and muscle use imbalances can contribute to micro trauma and tendinitis, spasm, or the development of trigger points of the shoulder muscles.
- Arthritis or degeneration of the joints are also causes of gradual onset shoulder pain.
- Shoulder and upper extremity pain can also be referred or radiating from the neck. There are many different parts that have to be able to work appropriately together for optimal, pain-free shoulder function.
****Potentially more often than not, people complain of their shoulder pain having started for no apparent reason. Just because there is no major traumatic event, that does not mean that the shoulder can’t still be injured..****
Shoulder pain can present itself in many different ways.
You may first notice pain and/or tightness when moving your arm in certain directions. Then, it may progress to where you start to lose range of motion. Range of motion loss is often first seen when trying to tuck in a shirt, fasten a bra or reach into a cabinet. Sometimes, shoulder pain can manifest itself further down the arm as well. The most common perpetrators of the shoulder pain are impingement of the rotator cuff muscles and biceps tendons. They hurt when you lift your arm above shoulder height. This can become a vicious cycle because repetitive motion can cause pain, which stops you from lifting your arm above your head, which then leads to further loss of mobility, which then leads to further pain.
The shoulder has multiple moving joints and it has even more muscles in order to help control the various movements that need to occur at each joint. Some of the muscles that attach to your shoulder blade and collar bone also attach to your neck, midback, chest, and ribs. So due to their interconnectedness and close proximity it is not uncommon for neck or upper back and shoulder issues to sometimes be related or for one to follow the other.
If you or someone you know is experiencing any kind of shoulder pain, don’t hesitate. CALL Loudoun Sports Therapy Center TODAY at 703-450-4300. Our Physcial Therapists will give you a thorough examination and can help determine where your pain is coming from and what factors are likely contributing to your pain.
CLICK HERE for more on how physical therapy can help you.
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