Your choices when suffering from shoulder pain
When you feel shoulder pain and it’s a new sensation, you can try resting your shoulder, applying ice to the affected area and avoiding heavy lifting. But if, after three days, the pain hasn’t gone away, or if you’ve been suffering from it for a longer period of time, it’s time to see a good orthopedic shoulder doctor in Wake County. After assessing your condition, he will prepare a treatment plan, which will most likely involve physical therapy.
How can physical therapy help?
The goal of physical therapy is to improve the functioning of the muscles surrounding your shoulder. It will help the mobility of the joint. In most cases, physical therapy will be enough to remedy your shoulder issue.
The therapy plan prescribed by your therapist after the initial assessment will vary, depending on the underlying condition. Your problem could be a rotator cuff tear, overuse, poor posture, shoulder injury or fracture, shoulder bursitis or frozen shoulder.
Physical therapy treatments for shoulder pain may include:
- Modalities
Your physical therapist in Holly Springs may use heat and ice treatments (modalities) to help relax the muscles before moving on to other forms of treatment.
2) Hands-on therapy
Your therapist may use manual therapy (hands-on) techniques to maintain shoulder mobility by encouraging the muscles and tissues to loosen up.
3) Stretching
Your physical therapist may introduce more intense stretching techniques to boost your range of motion and flexibility, focusing on the specific directions and positions that are limited for you.
4) Strengthening
During your physical therapy in Holly Springs, you may begin exercises designed to alleviate pain in the shoulder area as well as strengthen your core muscles. This is intended to eliminate weaknesses that you may have that prevent you from performing work-related or recreational tasks.
5) Joint mobilization/stabilization
According to APTA (American Physical Therapy Association), the purpose of the mobilizing exercise therapy for the shoulder is chiefly to increase shoulder mobility by stretching the joint capsule. It should be performed by an experienced physical therapist.
6) Ultrasound
If you have shoulder pain, your physical therapist may use therapeutic ultrasound to help improve the extensibility of the tissues around your shoulder before performing having you perform range of motion exercises. This may help improve the ability of your shoulder to stretch.
7) Electrical stimulation
Electrical stimulation might further enhance the strengthening of the shoulder muscles that hold the humerus in the proper position. It’s used in specific cases, depending on the patient’s underlying condition.
8) Athletic taping
Taping (or strapping) is the use of tape applied to the body to provide structural support. It’s mostly effective when combined with a sling in cases of shoulder injury.
9) Activity modification
Activity modification is mostly effective in cases of pain associated with local tissue injury. It is known to minimize physical stress of the shoulder.
10) Workplace ergonomics
If your computer mouse is positioned too far away from your body or your workstation lacks arm support, your physical therapist will help you find a solution and educate you about proper ergonomics for your shoulder.
11) Home exercise program
This program will be individually prepared for you to help you preserve your quality of life beyond your therapy sessions. You will first do the exercises with your therapist, so that you can learn to repeat them at home.
Orthopedic shoulder doctor Wake County
If you suffer from shoulder pain, make an appointment with one of the Raleigh Orthopaedic physicians who provide comprehensive and specialized care for a wide variety of shoulder conditions using the latest techniques. The Raleigh Orthopaedic Clinic shoulder surgeons, Dr. Robert Wyker, Dr. Lyman Smith, Dr. Jeffrey Kobs, Dr. Hadley Callaway, Dr. William Isbell, Dr. Matthew Boes, Dr. Joseph Barker, and Dr. Edwin Cadet, are dedicated to quality outcomes, and have many services available on-site to ensure that patients receive the most appropriate care for orthopedic shoulder conditions.
Physical therapy in Holly Spring, Garner, Raleigh, Morrisville and soon, in Cary
For comprehensive shoulder care, you may get a referral to Raleigh Orthopaedic Therapy Services, or make an appointment on your own. The team of licensed physical therapists, licensed athletic trainers, and exercise physiologists provide world-class, cost-effective physical therapy services through our team of well-educated, experienced professionals, and support personnel.
For your convenience, physical therapy is offered at our eight clinic locations in the Triangle. To schedule a therapy appointment at one of our clinics or performance centers, please call (919) 863-6996. For any other questions or concerns, please call our main therapy number (919) 781-4060.
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.