Conditions We Treat
Shoulder Pain
What is Shoulder Pain?
Shoulder pain is common.
In people under 40, shoulder pain is likely caused by an accident or injury.
As we get older, wear and tear occurs in the very mobile shoulder joint and the tendons nearby (rotator cuff tendons). Over time, this pain can get worse and worse.
The good news is that with treatment, shoulder pain usually gets better so you should be able to get back to doing the things you enjoy.
Shoulder pain can be caused by:
- Osteoarthritis
- Injuries and sprains to the joint or a rotator cuff tendon
- Inflamed bursa
- Referred pain from your neck or upper back
- Inflammation of the capsule around the joint
People with shoulder pain can experience pain deep in the shoulder joint, in the back or the front of the shoulder and in the upper part of their arm.
Some people feel like they have a ‘catching pain’. The location and type of pain is linked to the part of the shoulder causing the pain.
Soreness, stiffness and reduced strength are common signs of shoulder pain.
When you book an appointment with a physiotherapist from The Physio Co to get help with your Shoulder Pain, the first appointment will involve your physiotherapist asking questions about you, your general health, your future goals and the symptoms of your arthritis.
They will also likely ask you to show them how you move parts of your body under their instruction so they can properly assess and understand the problem.
It’s likely the physiotherapist will also gently feel and move the injured part of your body too.
After the first 1-2 appointments, once you and your physiotherapist have discussed the likely cause of the problem, the treatment needed and the likely time it will take to improve, you will receive a 1-page plan of what will happen next.
That plan will be a short, tailored and personal plan for you describing the recommended treatment and next steps.
Your plan will likely involve 4-12 weeks of treatment before it is reviewed, reassessed and considered if a new plan or updated plan is needed.
It’s super-important that you read, understand and follow your plan. If you have any questions, please ask your physiotherapist as soon as you can
The treatment you physio recommends will depend on what is affected and any pain.
There is no way of knowing exactly which treatment will work best for you. You will likely need to trial a few different treatments before finding the one that works for you.
When the plan is complete, we will review it together and decide what comes next.