Shoulder Pain

Shoulder Pain Physio At The Movement Centre

Shoulder pain is a common complaint across all ages.  There are many potential causes for experiencing pain in the shoulder. Therefore making an accurate diagnosis regarding the source of pain so the appropriate treatment can be targeted at the cause is crucial.  A shoulder pain Physio understands that the shoulder joint has a relatively unstable, bony arrangement.  Designed with allowing a significant range of movement in mind the result of this bony makeup means your shoulder joint relies heavily on all the ligaments, capsule, muscles, tendon, and labrum to make it stable.  Many problems a shoulder pain Physio will help manage are the result of irritation or breakdown of these soft tissues through excessive use or traumatic injury. 

Common Causes Of Shoulder Discomfort

Far from an exhaustive list, the above conditions are a few common problems a shoulder pain physio will deal with on almost a daily basis.    Rotator cuff disorders and bursitis problems are very common causes of shoulder pain in the athlete and non-athlete.  Shoulder bursitis occurs when the bursa, which is a small fluid-filled sac designed to help protect the shoulder joint, becomes inflamed.  Such inflammation or enlargement of the bursa can occur when playing sports like tennis or throwing sports that overuse the shoulder.  Some professions like electricians, hairdressers, or painters where demand has their hands spending long hours working above shoulder height will also often complain of shoulder pain and suffer from shoulder bursitis.    Tendinopathy of the rotator cuff can be as a result of inflamed, degenerative, or torn tendons. Tendinopathy can result from falls, positionally impinged tendons, overuse…  This comes because of playing various sports, or certain occupations and hobbies.   Shoulder dislocation and acromioclavicular joint sprains are fairly common traumatic based injuries.  Regularly occurring as the result of a falls or in contact sports involving tackling and collisions, as well as in high velocity sports like mountain biking where accidents are part and parcel.  As a loose rule a dislocated shoulder or AC joint sprain are a younger person’s injury.  This mainly comes from the fact that activity levels and chosen pass times at younger ages are a little more adventurous and aggressive than their older counterparts.  An AC joint sprain and a shoulder dislocation are distinctly different injuries and, as a result, a physio will manage them both very differently from each other. 

A frozen shoulder is a condition that is sometimes referred to under a number of different titles, from adhesive capsulitis, to fifty year old shoulder.  A frozen shoulder is a condition that leads to marked stiffness of the joint and typically in the early stages a frozen shoulder can be extremely uncomfortable.  As with the many other causes of shoulder pain, appropriate diagnosis is crucial to guarantee the right management.  Seeing one of our Movement Centre physio team will ensure that you get expert level advice on managing your shoulder pain whatever the origin.

Labral injuries can result from a traumatic event, or as a more degenerative condition. A SLAP tear is the most common type of labral injury we see in our Randwick physio practice. SLAP tears can be the result of (among other things) having a fall, dislocating your shoulder or repetitive throwing actions.    Shoulder arthritis is a less common location of osteoarthritis than either hip or knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis of the shoulder can be a fairly disruptive shoulder condition in the ageing population causing both pain and mobility restrictions.  A shoulder pain physio will frequently be involved in assisting patients complaining of discomfort and limitation due to shoulder osteoarthritis, and are committed to improving their patients pain levels and function. 

Your Movement Centre Physio Can Help With Accurately Diagnosing And Treating

Treatment by any shoulder pain Physio depends on the cause of the problem. It is of utmost importance the cause of any complaint needing shoulder pain physio treatment is understood prior to embarking on a rehabilitation program. Movement Centre physiotherapists use individualised treatment techniques and modalities to assist you in regaining mobility, increasing strength, and helping you return to your pre-injury level of activity safely and quickly.