Shoulder Pain

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder Pain is a problem that we see a lot in our clinic.

Shoulder problems are usually quite complex. This means that there are often several elements that need correction and will requires several forms of intervention eg. Rest, treatment and conditioning.

Painful Shoulders can have many structural causes.

• Tendon Problems

• Bursa Problems

• Bone Problems

• Muscle Problems

Good shoulder treatment needs to deal with all involved elements, understand how it got to this point and give clear instructions on how to avoid recurrence.

Sometimes imaging may be required for an accurate diagnosis. Most commonly we refer to Medical Doctors for Ultrasound Imaging of soft tissues and X-Ray for bones. In some more serious cases a CT or MRI may be required for correct diagnosis and management.

A typical shoulder pain case that comes in to our office, that has had other serious causes of the pain excluded will follow this flow.

• A thorough history and examination to identify causes past and present.

• Once we find the right spot for treatment we can use soft tissue treatments and shockwave therapy to improve movement and reduce pain.

• Usually several days later or once the pain is below a 3-4/10 we can begin to integrate specific exercise to strengthen the weakened tissues.

Some patients are transparent with us and indicate that they are unlikely to do home exercise on their own. For these patients we are happy to support them over a longer period and control pain with treatment and activity modification.