Why Does My Shoulder Hurt?
Shoulder pain is a common condition we see here at Shift Physical Therapy. It is definitely in our top 5 of most common injuries people seek treatment for.
There are a lot of variables that play a role in to what might be causing your shoulder pain. This article will not be able to diagnose what is actually going on in your shoulder but it might help to guide you to narrowing down what is causing your pain or at the very least provide you with tools to better describe your symptoms to your physical therapist.
Shoulder pain can start suddenly with a specific injury such as a fall or it can start more gradually over time with repetition of certain movements. In either case, it is something you should seek care for versus waiting and hoping for the pain to go away.
Before we dive in to common injuries affecting the shoulder, let’s first talk about the muscles that make up the rotator cuff. I know talking anatomy is not super exciting for most however it is important to know especially when it comes to injury and function (or lack thereof).
There are 4 muscles and tendons that make up the rotator cuff. For the sake of understanding, we will explain at a very basic level what these muscles do:
Supraspinatus: this muscles helps to bring the arm out to the side.
Infraspinatus: this muscle helps to rotate the arm outward.
Teres minor: this muscle helps to rotate the arm outward as well as assists in bringing the arm in towards the body.
Subscapularis: this muscle helps to rotate the arm down/inward.
These rotator cuff muscles work together during movement and also help to provide stability to the shoulder joint.
The likelihood of experiencing an injury to the rotator cuff increases with age, although this injury can occur at any age. Common shoulder injuries include:
A tear in the muscle or tendon of the rotator cuff
Tendinitis
Bursitis
Shoulder impingement
Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
Symptoms most often experienced by individuals with shoulder pain include:
Difficulty reaching over head
Difficulty reaching behind the back
Difficulty combing or washing hair
Deep ache or pain in the shoulder
Trouble sleeping
As mentioned earlier, if you are experiencing these symptoms, it is best to seek care sooner rather than later. Your physical therapist can help to determine what is causing your shoulder pain through a series of special tests. You do not need a doctor’s order (in Minnesota) to see a Physical Therapist.
Physical Therapy is highly effective in the treatment of shoulder pain and can help to:
Decrease your shoulder pain and discomfort
Provide you with specific exercises and activities necessary to recover.
Help you avoid lengthy recovery from surgery for small tears or assist you in pre and post surgical rehabilitation for larger tears that may require surgery.
Focusing on good spinal posture and strengthening the muscles between the shoulder blades can help decrease your risk of a repetitive injury to the rotator cuff muscles and may help alleviate shoulder pain that you are experiencing.
As always, we are here to help and offer Free Consultations. Even if you decide not to try physical therapy for your shoulder pain, you will at least have a better knowledge and understanding of why your shoulder is hurting. Give us a call, send us and email, or complete a form for a free consultation and we can help you answer the question “Why does my shoulder hurt?”.
Phone: (763) 645 -1113
Email: info@shiftptwell.com
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Written by: Renee Hancock, Physical Therapist
