You use your shoulders every time you raise your arms, gesture with your hands, lift heavy objects, and push or pull to open a door. A small amount of shoulder pain can distract you all day long, and leaving it untreated can lead to chronic issues. Repetitive movements at work, traumatic injuries or even your sleeping position could cause shoulder pain.
The shoulder is a complex structure made up of bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons. The trapezius and the latissimus dorsi are both back muscles that connect to your shoulders. Many cases of shoulder pain are strains to these muscles or the ligaments that form these attachments. We see a lot of other conditions and injuries that aggravate the shoulders, from shoulder dislocation to rotator cuff injuries, shoulder impingement and “frozen shoulder.”
You shouldn’t have to go far to find a great PT. Keep reading to learn more about how a physical therapist near you can help with shoulder pain.
6 benefits of physical therapy for shoulder pain
Whether you’re just noticing your shoulder blade pain or you’re recovering after rotator cuff surgery, there’s a good chance you can benefit from seeing a physical therapist. Physical therapists are medical experts on musculoskeletal system function and disorders. They can help you learn about what’s going on in your shoulder and perform specialized treatments to help you heal. They can also teach you therapeutic exercises and stretches to continue on your own for increased strength and flexibility.
Here are some of the benefits you can expect when you visit a physical therapy clinic near you for shoulder pain:
- Understanding your shoulder pain — A therapist will evaluate your functional abilities and range of motion to determine which structures are causing your pain. They can provide some insight on what you can expect during and after your healing process.
- Personalized treatment plan — Your physical therapist will get to know you and create a unique plan to restore mobility and relieve shoulder pain. Your lifestyle, overall health and favorite activities can all affect how your body works and how it will heal.
- Increased strength, range of motion and mobility — PT treatments may include joint stabilization, strengthening and stretching. Finding a physical therapist near you for shoulder rehabilitation makes it easy to receive manual therapy and other specialized services.
- Reducing pain, inflammation and muscle spasms — Reducing pain and restoring function are the two main purposes of physical therapy. You’ll work with your therapist over time to ensure that the treatments last.
- Accelerating the healing process — After an injury or surgery, physical therapy techniques like dry needling increase blood flow to affected areas and break up scar tissue.
- Workplace ergonomics and activity modification — Shoulder injuries can take a while to heal, and you’ll want to get back to your routines as soon as possible. Your physical therapist can consult with you on ergonomic solutions to help you care for your shoulder while performing your daily activities at work and at home.
Why you should find a PT clinic near you for shoulder rehabilitation
Physical therapy can result in faster healing, but most shoulder injuries and conditions take more than one session to resolve. To get continuous support for your shoulder, find a physical therapy clinic near your home or workplace. This is especially important if you’ll be recovering from surgery at a local hospital. Some clinics even offer at-home physical therapy for these patients and those with limited mobility.
For shoulder pain, a physical therapy clinic near you should offer all the services you need. PT treatments like manual therapy and dry needling will require hands-on expertise from your therapist. Minimizing the time and energy it takes to get to treatments means you can go back as often as you need to.
Find an Advent PT clinic near you for shoulder physical therapy
If you live in the Grand Rapids area, you may be able to get treatment for your shoulder at an Advent Physical Therapy location near you. Take a look at this map to find the nearest Advent PT clinic.
Call us or request an appointment today to get fast and convenient relief from shoulder pain with physical therapy near you.