If you have shoulder pain, you may have difficulty doing overhead movements. Physical therapy can help you manage your shoulder pain and help you get back to your original level of activity.
The shoulders are one of the most important areas of our body because the workings of the arm so the range of motion depends on the same. Once the shoulders suffer an injury, it can affect not just the bone but the muscles as well and result in varying degrees of pain and discomfort. The causes of shoulder pain can be several, ranging from injury and trauma to some muscle pull.
Physical therapy can help you manage your shoulder pain which help you get back to your original level of activity. Shoulder pain has many causes and expert evaluation by your doctor or physical therapist is necessary to find out why you have your pain.
Physical therapy will help you recover from a shoulder injury. Physical therapists develop customized exercises programs that you should increase flexibility in the shoulder, strengthening exercises which help prevent muscle shrinkage, and good body mechanics that will help you avoid shoulder strain and pain.
Strengthening Exercises
Pain can sometimes lead shoulder muscle weakness. Due to pain, you may not want to move your shoulder that may lead to weakness. Your physical therapist will teach you exercises to improve your shoulder muscle strength and improve blood flow to your shoulder, thereby, encouraging faster healing.
Supine Passive Exercise
While lying inside a comfortable position, grab the wrist of your surgical arm using the opposite hand. Gently lift your surgical arm 90 degrees then bring your arm back down. Then lift your surgical arm over your head and down again. Repeat the recommended number of times.
Shoulder Stretching Exercises
Your therapist will educate you on self-stretching exercises, which he or she will counsel you to continue doing when you get home. Stretching can help decrease your joint and muscle stiffness.
Electrotherapeutic Modalities
Electrotherapeutic modalities, for example ultrasound and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator might be used by your physical therapist. An ultrasound is really a heating apparatus that can help soften shoulder tissues and improve circulation. It might be used before stretching.
Pendulum Exercise
Hold onto the edge of the sturdy table for support and bend forward with your knees slightly bent. Relax your shoulder blade and let your surgical arm hang limp. Use your body to carefully swing your surgical arm in small circles. Perform clockwise circles, counterclockwise circles, and circles backwards and forwards as if you were bowling. Stand tall and relax between each set. Repeat the recommended quantity of times.
Physical Therapy
Ice pack or hot pack application
Your physical therapist will decide whether or not to use and ice pack or perhaps a hot pack on your shoulder injury. Generally, ice pack application is used when swelling is present. Ice helps decrease your swelling and relieve your pain.
Isometric Ball Squeeze
This exercise utilizes a medium-sized rubber ball to gently strengthen the muscles in your shoulders. While keeping your elbows at your side, gently squeeze the ball with both hands, hold, after which relax between each set. Repeat the recommended quantity of times.