The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the human body, giving us incredible range of movement and flexibility. However, along with this extensive movement comes reduced stability therefore making it more prone to injury.
Shoulder wear and tear is less likely as the shoulder is not a weight bearing joint like the hip and knee but injuries to the soft tissue and muscles that surround the shoulder are fairly common. Developing a frozen shoulder is also very common and is covered in another article.
At The Physiotherapy clinics, we understand the importance of establishing a detailed diagnosis to ensure the treatment and advice we provide is accurate and more likely to result in a positive pain free outcome. But it is important, especially after a shoulder injury, to continue with rehabilitation to strengthen and stabilise the shoulder to help protect it from further injury.
Like many joints, it is important to find out what has happened sooner than later to prevent making the injury worse, so let one of our experience Physiotherapists assess your shoulder as soon as you can.
In the meantime, here are a few things you can try:
- Avoid overhead activities, especially if you develop pain or weakness doing this
- Move daily items stored higher up, like utensils, to a lower position
- Modify activities that are causing pain
- Ice your shoulder for 20 minutes 2-3 times a day
- Try the pendular exercise below which can help keep the shoulder mobile without stressing the joint
- If you are ok to take anti-inflammatories, then this may help, especially as inflammation is common with shoulder injuries
