Shoulder
Shoulder pain is a common ailment that can have many causes. The shoulder joint is the body’s most mobile joint, but this mobility also makes it vulnerable to injury and overuse. Pain in the shoulder can come from muscles, tendons, bursa sacs, or the joint itself, and can limit daily activities such as dressing, lifting objects, or sleeping.
Most shoulder problems can be treated effectively with physiotherapy and customized exercise.
Common causes
- Rotator cuff tendinopathy (tendon problems)
- Impingement syndrome (pinching injury)
- Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
- Calcific tendinitis
- Shoulder instability
- Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint
- Bursitis (inflammation of the bursa sac)
- Overuse from exercise or work
Symptoms
- Pain when lifting the arm above the shoulder
- Night pain, especially when lying on the affected side
- Stiffness and reduced mobility
- Pain radiating down the upper arm
- Weakness when lifting and rotating
- Crepitus (crunching or cracking sounds)
- Acute pain with specific movements
When should you contact a physiotherapist?
- Shoulder pain that lasts more than two weeks
- Pain that interferes with sleep or daily activities
- Increasing stiffness in the shoulder
- Weakness in the arm or shoulder
- Pain after acute injury or overuse
Treatment
A physiotherapist at Eyr can assess your shoulder via video using movement tests and provide you with a customized exercise program. Treatment usually includes strengthening of the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles, stretching, posture correction, and gradual increase in load. The physiotherapist also provides advice on self-treatment, pain management, and activity modification.
