Your shoulder is an important joint that you may not think much about until it’s been hurt or injured. The joint is responsible for keeping your arm attached to the rest of your body and for movements of the arm. When one of the bones or connective tissues in this joint is damaged by an injury or physical condition, it can be difficult to use your shoulder and the rest of your arm.
Experiencing some form of shoulder pain during your life is common. Normal activities, such as sitting carrying heavy objects or sitting hunched over can cause your shoulders to be sore. However, severe or chronic pain that is accompanied by other symptoms, like numbness or immobility, should be treated by a healthcare professional.
Common types of shoulder pain that physical therapists treat
Severe shoulder pain may be the sign of a serious condition. Many of these conditions can grow worse over time and lead to greater problems like permanent disability.
Physical therapists can help you strengthen and stretch the muscles, tendons and ligaments to help reduce shoulder pain and promote healing for many conditions, including some of the following most common ones:
- Tendinitis — Repetitive motion can cause tendinitis in the shoulder. This is a painful condition that affects the tendons and can limit your mobility.
- Bursitis — Bursitis is a condition in which the sacs of fluid that cushion your joints (bursae) become irritated or inflamed. Bursitis is very painful and can cause swelling and limited mobility.
- Dislocation — If the connective tissues in your shoulder are strained or sprained too much, your shoulder joint can pop out of the socket. When this happens, you will feel a lot of pain and may not be able to move your arm, which may feel like it’s hanging loosely.
- Arthritis — Arthritis is a degenerative disease that affects joints, like your shoulders, and can cause pain and loss of mobility.
- Fracture — The bones in your shoulder can partially or completely break if subjected to blunt force or weakened by osteoporosis. Complete fractures may require surgery for treatment. In these cases, physical therapy can still help by helping you prepare for surgery and recovering afterward.
Schedule an appointment for shoulder pain in Point Roberts, Washington
The physical therapists at Whatcom Physical Therapy can help treat many conditions and injuries that affect your shoulders. If you would like help reducing shoulder pain and restoring your range of motion, please contact us today to schedule an appointment.
Our Point Roberts location:
2030 Benson Road
Pt. Roberts, Washington 98281
Whatcom Physical Therapy serves residents of northwestern Washington from three different locations. Please visit our locations page if you would like to check out one of our other clinics.
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