Introduction to biomechanics


How to Treat Shoulder Pain

People of all ages suffer from shoulder pain.injection.
The causes are many and can range from an
unknown onset to a traumatic event. ManyPhysical therapy treatment can consist of the
people develop shoulder pain from performingfollowing  interventions:
repetitive type activities for prolonged
times. Others will experience pain in the1. Therapeutic exercises: this will consist
shoulder following a fall onto the shoulderof range of motion, conditioning, and
or on the outstretched arm. Sometimes thestrengthening exercises. The goal here is to
reason for pain is not as obvious. I seemaximize and restore any loss of range of
many cases where a person cannot identifymotion, improve the overall endurance of the
what caused the pain in the shoulder. Oftenshoulder blade and shoulder muscles and to
times this pain for unknown reasons can occurimprove the strength of these same muscles.
when someone bumps their shoulder against theAdequate strength of the shoulder blade
door jam in the middle of the night whenmuscles is just as important as having strong
going to the bathroom. This rather benignrotator cuff muscles. These two groups must
action sets off a chemical process in thework together in order to restore normal
shoulder that will build up over severalbiomechanics  and  to prevent further injury.
days. Eventually this will cause pain in the
shoulder. Since the injury occurred several2. Manual therapy: this will consist of hands
days earlier the person cannot recall anyon treatment that the physical therapist
event that started the process. Regardlesswould perform on you. This might consist of
of the cause of the pain in the shoulder thejoint mobilization (i.e. techniques designed
treatment is often similar from case to case.to improve joint motion and relieve pain), or
soft tissue massage (i.e. techniques designed
Treatment of the shoulder can encompassto improve muscle and connective tissue
several different areas. Conservativeflexibility  and  to  relieve  pain).
measures include medication such as
anti-inflammatories or pain medications,3. Modalities: this consists of machines that
rest, cortisone injections, and or physicalthe physical therapist may apply to your
therapy. All of these methods can bepainful shoulder to assist in pain relief and
effective in helping relieve a painfulhealing along with the other treatments
shoulder especially when they are performedmentioned above. Some of these machines are
in  combination  with  each  other.ultrasound, electrical stimulation, TENS, or
iontophoresis.
Often times when you present to your medical
doctor with complaints of shoulder pain theyAll of these interventions can be used in the
will prescribe some medication as describedtreatment of a painful shoulder. It is
above. It is easy to recommend that a personcommon in clinical practice to use a
rest the painful shoulder but it may becombination of these interventions. It has
difficult to do depending on their occupationbeen my experience in treating hundreds of
or responsibilities at home. Injections forshoulder patients over the years that
the painful shoulder are sometimes giventherapeutic exercise is an absolute in the
right away depending on your medical doctor'streatment of the painful shoulder. Well
philosophy. Some MD's would rather yourounded exercises that target the shoulder
attend physical therapy before consideringblade and shoulder muscles are the mainstay
injecting the painful shoulder. Injectionsof any good physical therapy regimen for the
are not the end all beat all and they do nottreatment of shoulder pain. A painful
offer relief to all patients that receiveshoulder can persist for years. With the
them. Often times a well rounded physicalright education you won't have to suffer any
therapy program can alleviate shoulder painlonger!
and you won't have to consider having an



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