Shoulder Wellness: Your Guide to Pain Relief and Recovery
When shoulder pain strikes, it can be difficult to get through the day. Whether you realize it or not much of your movement throughout the day requires the use of muscles in or connected to your shoulder. Because of this, your pain can be distracting and make it difficult to focus during routine tasks such as driving, working, household chores, hobbies, or spending time with loved ones. Don’t stay in pain longer than you need to – with physical therapy you can manage your pain and find the root cause of your condition.
Physical Therapy Experts in Aldie, South Riding, Stone Ridge, and Loudoun County, Virginia
Most of us spend our days sitting at a desk or hunched over a computer or a phone, landing ourselves in positions that are not ideal for good posture. Alternatively, you may suffer from shoulder pain due to how you’re sleeping, overuse of certain muscles, repetitive movement, an injury, or arthritis. Regardless of what the cause of your shoulder pain is, physical therapy is the quickest way to diagnose the cause and begin treatment for your condition. And you don’t even need a referral to begin treatment thanks to Direct Access! At Chiron Physical Therapy, we will work with you to create a customized treatment plan designed around your unique challenges and goals. If you’re looking for a long-term solution to your shoulder pain, CONTACT US at Chiron Physical Therapy today!
What is Shoulder Pain?
Shoulder pain can describe a variety of unpleasant sensations. You might be experiencing:
- Deep, dull, aching pain in your joint
- A sense that your shoulder joint is getting stuck when you move it
- Pain in the top of your shoulder
- Sharp pain in your shoulder
- Right shoulder pain or left shoulder pain, limited to just one side
- Neck and shoulder pain or stiffness, which might be worse when reading, driving, using a smartphone, or working on a personal computer
Your pain can range from mild to severe. It might worsen with activity, or it might stay at the same level no matter what you’re doing.
What Causes Shoulder Pain?
While there are several obvious shoulder pain causes, others might be a little more unexpected. A few common causes of shoulder pain include the following:
- Injuries caused by repetitive motion which may include conditions such as bursitis or rotator cuff injuries
- Impingement, which is when the tendons of the rotator cuff of the shoulder are pinched as they pass between the upper arm (humerus) and tip of the shoulder (acromion)
- Tendonitis, an inflammation of tendons in your shoulder
- Osteoarthritis, when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wear down over time
- Impact injuries from events such as car accidents, falls, or impact during sports
- Bursitis, when the small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion your bones, tendons and muscles become inflamed
- Poor posture, often caused from working in a workspace that doesn’t have an ergonomic design
How to Treat Shoulder Pain
Physical therapists are experts when it comes to the mechanics of the body and how the muscles, joints and skeletal structure work with one another. Our team will assess the motion, strength and flexibility of your shoulder, neck and upper back to rule out other conditions. From there, the Chiron team will work with you to:
- Reduce Pain and Swelling … we will use different types of treatments and technologies to reduce your pain and swelling including non-invasive FDA approved laser therapy which uses your body’s own natural healing process to speed recovery, ice, heat and/or electrical stimulation
- Improve Range of Motion … we will work to restore normal motion and agility, improve flexibility and decrease strain through exercise and hands-on treatment (manual therapy)
- Improve Strength . . . we will design a program to target muscle weakness or imbalances which may have contributed to or now exist as a result
- Functional Training … once your pain, strength and motion improve, we address movements and tasks that are required in your daily and recreational life
Start Working With Your Virginia Physical Therapist Today
Visit Chiron PT in Aldie, South Riding, Stone Ridge, and Loudoun County, Virginia
At Chiron Physical Therapy, we know how to relieve shoulder pain and we’re ready to start helping you get back to normal. We proudly serve the communities of South Riding, Chantilly, Aldie, Stone Ridge and Loudoun County, Virginia. CONTACT US today to schedule your first appointment and begin the journey towards a pain-free life!