Shoulder Pain Rehab and Therapy

Total Motion Physical Therapy provides physical therapy for shoulder pain in Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford, VA. Our board-certified physical therapists provide personalized treatment plans and guidance that help relieve pain and discomfort in the shoulders and neck.

Begin PT exercises and rehabilitation methods that restore your wellness and mobility by scheduling a consultation today.

No Doctor Referral Needed

Total Motion Physical Therapy is a Direct Access Certified practice. No doctor referral is needed to begin receiving physical therapy treatment in Virginia.

Common Causes of Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions people deal with.

The shoulder is actually comprised of 4 different joints with several bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles, each of which can contribute to a variety of dysfunctions.

It has been estimated that up to 67% of people will experience painful shoulder conditions at some point in their life. These numbers are not surprising when taking into account how much we use our arms for reaching, lifting, pushing, and pulling throughout the day.

• Rotator Cuff Disorders – Disorders such as tendinitis, bursitis, and rotator cuff tears due to repetitive motions and overuse can cause throbbing, lasting pain in the shoulders and neck.
• Shoulder Injuries – Injuries such as dislocations, separation, fractures, and tears due to trauma and accidents can all cause a variable range of pain, locking, and discomfort.
• Degenerative/Chronic Conditions – The progression of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and frozen shoulder due to aging, injury, or genetics can lead to painful aches and mobility issues.
• Shoulder Instability – Slippage of your shoulder joints due to prior dislocations or lingering ligament injuries can continue to cause issues if not addressed.
• Nerve Damage – Injuries and compression can pinch nerves, causing pain and numbness in the shoulder/neck area.
• Other Issues – Long hours at a desk, repetitive motions, sports-related injuries, and other mechanics can lead to aching shoulder pain and slowed mobility.

When a shoulder hurts, it can indicate a deeper underlying injury.

If left untreated, shoulder injuries can lead to further pain, disability, decreased quality of life, time out from work, and frustration.

At Total Motion, we identify which shoulder structures are causing your pain in order to provide the most efficient treatments and shoulder therapy, getting you better faster.

Shoulder Injuries and Treatment

Shoulder pain can limit your daily activities and participation. Unfortunately, it’s an area of the body that’s easy to injure. Below are some other common conditions that can occur with the shoulder, and information to help you further understand your situation.

Rotator Cuff

The rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles and their tendons (the part of the muscle that attaches to bone) which connect the arm bone to the shoulder blade. The primary job of the rotator cuff is to keep the ball of the arm bone in the socket of the shoulder during arm motions.

A rotator cuff injury can be a result of either macrotraumas, such as falling, or microtraumas, which are repeated irritations of the rotator cuff muscles and tendons, often associated with:

• Lifting
• Reaching overhead
• Throwing

Common signs that you have an Injury are pain over the top of the shoulder and/or down the side of your arm, weakness, and pain while moving your shoulder.

In order to diagnose a rotator cuff tear or strain, your therapist will perform a thorough evaluation consisting of several movement tests and questions regarding your condition.

Your physical therapist will discuss these findings with you and your physician in order to develop the best plan. Oftentimes, people with rotator cuff tears respond very well to 6-8 weeks of physical therapy and non-surgical treatments.

Although you may be having significant pain and present with signs typical of a rotator cuff injury, the typical course of care does not involve having an MRI performed immediately. If your condition is worsening or not improving with therapy, then you will more than likely undergo an MRI or diagnostic ultrasound. If a significant tear is found, you may need to have a rotator cuff repair. This is a surgery to repair the torn muscles or tendons.

Typically, it takes 3-4 months to heal from and participating in post-operative physical therapy will be very beneficial for you to regain strength and use of your shoulder. Even if you have to have surgery, physical therapy before surgery has been shown to help improve outcomes and recovery after.

In reality, there are many people that have mild tearing of their rotator cuff and live relatively pain free and active lives without needing surgery.

Shoulder Dislocation

Shoulder dislocations occur when ball part of the arm bone and the socket of the shoulder joint separate. This is usually the result of trauma involving a fall, sudden jerk, lifting something very heavy overhead, or getting hit in a sporting event.

When this happens, most people describe feeling the arm bone come out of socket and having immediate pain and difficulty moving the arm.

Numbness in the arm or hand, discoloration of the arm or hand, or cold feelings in the arm are immediate concerns and need to be examined by a medical professional right away. Most often, X-rays will be performed to make sure you have no fractures. Once the shoulder is put back into place by a healthcare professional (don’t try on your own), you will likely need to rest and protect your arm by wearing a sling and using ice to control inflammation and pain.

Physical Therapy can help to decrease your pain and inflammation and make things more comfortable for you in the first few weeks following. Once your pain starts to decrease, gentle range of motion exercises will be given as well as strengthening exercises. It is important to have supervision from a Physical Therapist in order to not progress yourself too fast and risk re-injury.

Typically, it can take 4-8 weeks to recover from a dislocation that does not include fractures or tearing of tendons, muscles, or ligaments. If it is more complicated, healing timeframes will be longer.

Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder or Adhesive Capsulitis causes stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint. The condition is characterized by different phases.

Stiffness and pain will gradually get worse over several months.

After that time, your symptoms will start to improve over a two-year timeframe. This is what we call a self-limiting condition, meaning that in time it will improve on its own. However, physical therapy can help you manage your symptoms and joint mobilizations, teach you exercises to regain your motion faster, and improve your quality of life.

Physical therapy can also help prevent frozen shoulder, especially after a prolonged period of immobilization in a sling required after shoulder surgery.

Shoulder Replacement

Due to the amount of motion allowed at the shoulder joint and it being one of the most used joints in the body, people especially over the age of 50 are susceptible to osteoarthritis (OA) of the shoulder. If the OA is advanced enough and pain is still a problem even after undergoing physical therapy the next option is to undergo a Total Shoulder Replacement (TSA).

Your physical therapist and orthopedic surgeon will determine whether you will benefit from this procedure. There may also be considerations in regard to the type of shoulder replacement you may need. After having the surgery, physical therapy will help to ease your pain, ensure safety while you heal, and initiate motion of the shoulder. After the initial healing has occurred, your therapy program will progress to strengthening and functional task training in order to get you back to doing daily activities, recreational hobbies, and working.

Typical rehabilitation after a shoulder joint replacement is 12-20 weeks depending on type of surgery, surgeon preference, and individual healing factors.

How Physical Therapy Can Help With Shoulder Pain

Given that surgery is not needed (or you’ve completed surgery recovery), your physical therapist will guide you through a personalized treatment plan that addresses shoulder pain using a variety of exercises and techniques. Your PT will also provide guidance on how to manage your pain, reduce inflammation, and practice better routines that improve wellness.

Your personalized shoulder pain physical therapy treatment plan may include:

Strength and Mobility Exercises: Your physical therapist will take you through PT exercises that build strength and increase mobility. These range-of-motion and strength-based exercises can ease pain while rebuilding the shoulder components. We’ll take you through exercises like arm circles, shoulder blade squeezes, cross-body stretches, and more.

Stretching Techniques: Your PT will direct you through different stretches that can improve mobility and ease the shoulder muscles and ligaments. The boost in flexibility can make other PT exercises easier, leading to greater success in your recovery/rehabilitation.

Education and Pain Management: Your PT will help you understand the cause and conditions of shoulder pain; in doing so, you can make informed decisions about your health and avoid activities that could prolong the recovery timeline. We also offer pain management techniques and guidance to better deal with shoulder pain until you feel whole again.

Shoulder Pain Physical Therapy Near You – Schedule Now

No matter what the cause of your shoulder instability or shoulder pain is, Total Motion will be able to guide you through your rehab in order to insure the best possible outcomes. Our job is to help restore your total function for a total life.

Contact us or fill out this form today to schedule your appointment.

Remember, a referral is not necessary to receive physical therapy for shoulder pain.