The shoulders are an important and complex part of the body. A large part of the weight of our daily activities is also borne by our shoulder tissues. Shoulder pain may result in you wanting to lie back in bed with a hot water bottle thus interrupting your daily schedule.
Physical therapy is your answer to get back to daily regime as it caters relief to various types of shoulder pains
Shoulder dislocation – When the shoulder ball moves out of the socket, it results in shoulder dislocation. Rehabilitation begins once the ball is back in its position. First step includes small movements with the arm being pulled out of sling. Physiotherapists at Don Kelly will emphasize on keeping the body straight which will avoid shoulder related problems in future.
The next phase of physical therapy will focus on muscle strengthening. Progress varies from one individual to the other and also on the injury severity. Don Kelly’s physiotherapists will identify the weak shoulder areas and recommend exercises accordingly.
Last phase will include towards restoring normal daily movements. Physiotherapists will include the exercises basis your daily movements.
Frozen shoulder – When a shoulder gets swollen, it may result in pain and cause stiffness. If the condition continues, it can affect your ability to move your shoulder. Your physiotherapist at Don Kelly will work with you to get the movements back in your shoulder which may take some months. Exercises given in this condition are simple and can be done at home. Therapy begins with stretching of the opposite arm in the direction of tightness. Your therapist will work to identify some basic movements which can be done at home. In addition to this, gentle massages and thermotherapy (using warm and cold packs) is also done to relieve pain.
Shoulder tendonitis – In this condition the shoulder tendons tend to inflame due to an injury. The initial treatment includes relieving pain and reducing the swelling by using ice and support, accompanied by resting. At Don Kelly, techniques like massage, acupuncture, mobilization and muscle stretches are used to reduce pain in the injured area.
Rotator cuff syndrome – Rotator cuff is a set of muscles which controls the ball and socket joint movement. When these muscles become weak due to any injury it results in a condition called rotator cuff syndrome. While recovering from this syndrome, the physiotherapist will work to reduce the pain and will give you tips to minimize the swelling. The doctor will also suggest exercises to retain motion, strengthen the muscles and ensure that you get back to your normal lifestyle.
