Physical Therapy Exercises to Ease Your Shoulder Pain

Physical Therapy Exercises to Ease Your Shoulder Pain

Physical therapy programs include stretching and strengthening exercises that relieve pain by improving overall shoulder function.

Pain in the shoulder can be the result of a direct injury or blow, Rotator cuff tear, Rotator cuff tendonitis, Dislocation, Shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) or swimmer's shoulder. Effective non-surgical treatments for shoulder pain are now available at professional health care centers in Brooklyn, of which physical therapy exercise program is a popular one. A closely supervised physical therapy program leads to improvement of pain.

Physical therapy procedures included stretches, muscle contraction-relaxation techniques and exercises to promote movement in the shoulder, chest or neck, and a combination of joint and soft tissue manipulations.

Such exercises can help the patient with shoulder pain to –  Regain mobility  Enhance strength  Return to the pre-injury activity level  Relieve muscle tension and  Maintain flexibility As per the report in Centre Daily Times, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommends physical therapy as one of the first strategies to fight chronic pain, effectively treating the pain instead of masking the symptoms. It can help patients avoid addictive pain medications and steroid injections, as well as surgery for some conditions.

Physical Therapy Stretching and Strengthening Exercises A common muscular complaint, shoulder pain can arise at any age and for a variety of reasons.

Stretching and strengthening exercises can help your shoulder and shoulder blade move properly, so you can return to reaching and lifting without pain.

Physical therapists will evaluate your range of motion and strength and choose the suitable exercise for you.

Stretching Exercises Stretching exercises are usually the cornerstone of treating frozen shoulder. Often used in the early stages of rehabilitation, these exercises increase the range of movement at the shoulder joint.  Pendulum swing - Place your unaffected arm on a table or other stable surface for support and lean over.Hang down the affected arm. Swing the affected arm in circles. It is recommended to perform at least10 revolutions in each direction, once a day. With improvement in symptoms, increase the diameter of your swing, but never force it.  Doorway stretch - Stand in an open doorway, spreading both arms out to the side. With each hand below shoulder height, grip the sides of the doorway. Now lean forward through the doorway till the time you feel a light stretch. Make sure your back is straight as you lean and shift your weight onto your toes.Remember not to overstretch.

Strengthening Exercises These exercises can strengthen the muscles around the entire joint and improve the mobility of your shoulder.Strengthening exercises will be recommended after the patient can do the stretching without pain.  External Rotation - An elastic stretch band of comfortable resistance can be used. Attach the loop to a doorknob. Hold the band in hand with elbow bent 90° and raise it to shoulderheight. Raise your hand slowly till it is in line with your head. Do not over strain. Return to starting position and repeat at least 15 times.  Elbow Flexion - Stand and hold weights on both the hands. Make sure to stand proper so that your weight will be evenly distributed over both feet. Keep your elbow close to your side. Now slowly bring the weight up toward your shoulder and hold it for 2 seconds. Get back to the starting position and repeat.

At established healthcare centers, physiotherapists make accurate diagnosis via diagnostic tests such as X-ray and MRI before initiating an exercise program or any other treatment. Other physical therapy techniques implemented may include heat and ice application and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS).