Shoulder Pain

The shoulder connects the upper limb to our body. It is responsible for the strength, stability and optimal movement of our arms. Due to the large amount of movement that the shoulder provides, it is one of the most commonly injured joints.

Shoulder pain can happen to anyone; however it is more common in:

• People whose work involves repetitive physical tasks particularly overhead such as plasterers, cleaners, nurses, hairdressers, etc.
• People who play sports that involve the shoulder and arm such as tennis, rugby, football, basketball.
• People with hobbies such as gardening, playing music, art.

At Body Sense Physiotherapy we see a range of shoulder pain problems and they generally falls into one of the following categories:

• Frozen shoulder(adhesive capsulitis)
• Arthritis
• Fracture
• Instability or dislocation
• Pain referred from the cervical spine
• Rotator cuff related shoulder pain (including tears, tendinopathy, bursitis, impingement)

What symptoms are associated with these conditions?

• Pain or aching at the front, back, side of your shoulder, shoulder blade or between your neck and shoulder,
• Pain that comes on with lifting objects
• A feeling of instability or weakness
• Stiffness or restricted movement
• Sensation of catching, popping or grinding with movement

What do I do if I have any of these symptoms?

• Book an appointment with one of Body Sense musculoskeletal physiotherapists!
• Your therapist will carry out a thorough assessment, which will involve asking you about your pain and any relevant factors, examining and functional testing of your upper limb.
• The outcome of the assessment will determine what treatment approach will suit you best.
• Your expectation and goals for recovery will guide your personalized treatment plan.

How can physiotherapy help you?

By providing you with an early assessment and treatment of your shoulder pain to ensure a timely and optimal recovery.

While each person and condition are different, physiotherapy is important to guide the best process of healing and get you back to what you want to do as soon as possible.

If you have recently had an acute injury to your shoulder, your Body Sense physiotherapist will assess to determine if you need any further investigations or medical help.

Physiotherapy advice can guide you how to manage your symptoms and help settle your shoulder pain. This will assist you with a timely recovery.

If your shoulder pain is persistent, your Body Sense physiotherapist will address all the contributing factors and tailor a plan to help you manage your pain and return to your much loved activities.

Your treatment is individualized and tailored to your goals. Depending on your problem treatment can include :

• Advice and education about your condition
• Exercise prescription: including strength, control and mobility exercise
• Manual therapy: including mobilization and deep/soft tissue massage
• Pain management strategies
• Sleep hygiene
• Activity modification
• Taping
• Postural advice
• Pre-operative rehabilitation: to trial conservative rehabilitation which may delay or avoid surgery or to prepare the shoulder for surgery to improve post-surgical outcomes
• Post-operative rehabilitation: to show you how to safely regain your shoulder range of movement, strength, function and return to daily activities, work or sport.

Where can I book?

To book an appointment with a musculoskeletal physiotherapist for assessment and treatment of your shoulder, please Click here.

Prevention is better than cure!

At Body Sense Physiotherapy, we offer supervised exercise classes in the morning and evening. We cater to all fitness and strength levels. We show you how to exercise safely, strengthen your body and regain your confidence in using your shoulder. This approach allows you to have control in managing your pain and recovery, and also helps you to prevent flare-ups. Regaining strength and fitness will help you manage the physical demands of your job or to be physically fit for your favourite sport.

To book in Click here.