Discover How Postural Improvement Could Relieve Your Shoulder Pain
The shoulder is a complex part of the body as it is composed of three bones: the humerus (arm bone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the clavicle (collarbone).
Like other joints in the body, muscles and tendons cross each of these joints to provide stability and mobility. The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, and it, along with the scapula, has 17 muscles on each side of the body that provide an intricate balance of forces for functional movements.
You may have heard the term ‘Impingement.’ It’s a wastebasket term and doesn’t define what is wrong with the shoulder. Think of impingement as pinching your finger between a door and doorframe at the hinged side of the door. Instead of your finger being between the door and doorframe, there is a bursa, muscle, tendon, and capsule at the shoulder. Each of these is vulnerable to getting “impinged,” resulting in damage to any structures mentioned.
When you raise your arm above shoulder height, the space between the top of your humerus (arm bone) and the underside of the boney shelf you can feel at the outer margin of your shoulder (the acromion) narrows. This narrowing can compress the bursa, rotator cuff, or capsule. Even in healthy individuals, compressing these tissues is normal. However, if repeated compression, compression under poor posture, or faulty shoulder mechanics occurs, the structures can become inflamed. A physical therapist can assess to see the cause of your shoulder pain. Not an uncommon contributor is poor posture, and a physical therapist can offer corrective exercises to improve your posture, therefore also relieving your pain.
The American Physical Therapy Association states
“The physical therapist uses tests and measures to assess an individual’s structural alignment. Optimal posture is a state of musculoskeletal balance and skeletal alignment that may protect the individual against injury or progressive deformity. Responses monitored at rest, during activity, and after activity may indicate the presence or severity of impairment, activity limitation, or participation restriction.”
If you are experiencing shoulder pain, we can help. Contact us today to learn more!
Common symptoms of shoulder impingement
First and foremost…pain! It can be bad and limiting. A person with shoulder impingement finds lifting their arm above their head difficult. This can manifest as being unable to reach a higher closet or cupboard or having difficulty putting on a coat.
Shoulder impingement, if left untreated, wears down the tendons or bursa in the shoulder and can lead to a tear in the rotator cuff or a thickened bursa that often necessitates surgery‒unless a physical therapist intervenes!
Common causes of shoulder impingement
In most cases, shoulder impingement is caused by repetitive overhead motions. Swimmers, tennis players, construction workers, painters, and athletes can all experience pain from shoulder impingement. As can the person working outside pruning and hedging their landscape or swinging a saddle over their horse’s back.
Poor posture caused by our daily habits can narrow the space between the underside of the acromion and the top of the arm bone, leading to shoulder impingement. Some studies report poor posture, where the shoulders are slumped forward, which can reduce the usual space (about 14 mm) by fifty percent! The poor postures that many of us adopt while reading, working, texting, driving, cooking, or exercising can all affect the subacromial space in our shoulders.
How can physical therapy help with shoulder impingement?
The first goal of treating shoulder impingement, regardless of the cause, is to reduce joint inflammation, which can be accomplished by “getting the hammer off the nail” (abating impingement) through proper education and activity modification. Anti-inflammatory medications and applying ice to the affected area when pain occurs can also help manage short-term symptoms.
Seeing a physical therapist is the best way to eliminate shoulder impingement. Your physical therapist will not only be able to perform a thorough physical examination to rule out other underlying causes, but they will also be able to design a personalized treatment plan for you.
Treatments include avoiding repetitive overhead motions for a while and mobility and strengthening exercises to correct imbalances at the shoulder girdle and resolve the impingement process. A physical therapist will likely recommend adjustments to improve your posture if this is causing your shoulder impingement.
Having an ergonomic workspace, improving your posture while performing daily tasks, and stretching appropriately throughout the day will also all work to treat the underlying cause of your shoulder impingement and prevent it from returning.
Shoulder impingement, whether caused by poor posture or repetitive tasks, should not be taken lightly. The earlier the condition is treated, the more effective the treatment will be! Speak with your physical therapist if you are experiencing pain when moving your arms overhead.
Get started on the path toward relief today
Our physical therapists have extensive experience and are committed to assisting patients in relieving pain and improving their posture.
When you arrive for your first appointment, your physical therapist will perform a thorough examination to determine the source of your pain and the best treatment options for relieving it.
Your physical therapist will create a treatment plan tailored to your specific requirements. This will concentrate on relieving your pain, increasing your strength, and improving your posture as soon as possible. Treatment plans may also emphasize mobility, balance, flexibility, or stability, depending on the nature of your condition.
Is your posture bothering you? Are your shoulders causing you pain? Contact Rose City Physical Therapy in Portland, OR, immediately to find out how our services can help you. We will provide you with the treatment you require so that you can return to your pain-free life!