SHOULDER PAIN
The shoulder is complex with many structures that stabilise and allow movement at the joint. Shoulder pain is the third most common musculoskeletal complaint in adults with the leading cause coming from the rotator cuff muscles.
The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor) and the main role of these muscles is to provide stability to your shoulder joint by keeping your humerus (the arm bone) inside the joint socket on the scapula (the shoulder blade). The rotator cuff muscles start on the scapula and attach to the humerus.
Shoulder pain has many different causes, often from traumatic incidences such as sporting, overhead activities, and workplace injuries. Common acute causes of shoulder pain can range from dislocations to muscle tears to ligament sprains and often present with weakness (see our sprain and strain section for more information).
The most common shoulder pain is often from degenerative type pain that comes on gradually from overuse or abnormal biomechanics. The most frequent of these injuries are impingement, tendinopathy, and degenerative-type rotator cuff tears. Chronic type shoulder pain may come on with a slow, progressive onset of pain and weakness over time.
These conditions can be frustrating and cause considerable discomfort that has a significant impact on quality of life due to pain, fatigue, sick leave, and reduced work capacity. It is important that these be treated appropriately to avoid further dysfunction in the future. If you are presenting with shoulder pain, come in and talk to our physiotherapists to get the most appropriate treatment for your condition.
Physiotherapy Management:
Physiotherapy is the current first line treatment for shoulder pain, however there are a number of options available for treatment to suit you. A physiotherapist will work with you to give advice and education regarding alternate treatment options and primary physiotherapy rehabilitation will focus on improving your shoulder strength, stability, range of motion and unload damaged or overloaded tissues. Our physiotherapists will help to achieve your goals and get you back to doing the activities that matter to you.
The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor) and the main role of these muscles is to provide stability to your shoulder joint by keeping your humerus (the arm bone) inside the joint socket on the scapula (the shoulder blade). The rotator cuff muscles start on the scapula and attach to the humerus.
Shoulder pain has many different causes, often from traumatic incidences such as sporting, overhead activities, and workplace injuries. Common acute causes of shoulder pain can range from dislocations to muscle tears to ligament sprains and often present with weakness (see our sprain and strain section for more information).
The most common shoulder pain is often from degenerative type pain that comes on gradually from overuse or abnormal biomechanics. The most frequent of these injuries are impingement, tendinopathy, and degenerative-type rotator cuff tears. Chronic type shoulder pain may come on with a slow, progressive onset of pain and weakness over time.
These conditions can be frustrating and cause considerable discomfort that has a significant impact on quality of life due to pain, fatigue, sick leave, and reduced work capacity. It is important that these be treated appropriately to avoid further dysfunction in the future. If you are presenting with shoulder pain, come in and talk to our physiotherapists to get the most appropriate treatment for your condition.
Physiotherapy Management:
Physiotherapy is the current first line treatment for shoulder pain, however there are a number of options available for treatment to suit you. A physiotherapist will work with you to give advice and education regarding alternate treatment options and primary physiotherapy rehabilitation will focus on improving your shoulder strength, stability, range of motion and unload damaged or overloaded tissues. Our physiotherapists will help to achieve your goals and get you back to doing the activities that matter to you.