How We Treat Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain can be a frustrating and limiting condition that can interfere with daily activities and even impact sleep. It is often a result of a combination of postural faults, stiff muscles across the shoulder girdle, weakness in specific muscle groups, and poor movement patterns. At One to One Physical Therapy, our therapists will work with you to find the best combination of movement pattern corrections, strength training, flexibility, and manual therapy as needed based on your specific case.

Movement Pattern Corrections:

One essential component in rehabilitating shoulder pain is correcting movement patterns at the shoulder blade and arm (scapula and humerus, respectively). Poor resting postures and body mechanics during dynamic movements can lead to excessive stress on sensitive structures in the shoulder, resulting in pain and dysfunction. Your physical therapist will assess your movement patterns and identify areas of dysfunction. Once identified, the therapist can work with you to correct these patterns through specific corrective exercises and provide cues for desired movement patterns. The goal of movement pattern corrections is to reduce stress on whichever structures are generating pain and improve your ability to use your arm for daily tasks.

Flexibility:

In addition to the quality of your movements, flexibility is also important part of managing a shoulder pain complaint. Your therapist will teach you specific stretches and mobility exercises to improve flexibility in the muscles across the shoulder girdle. Stiff muscles can lead to limited motion, compensatory strategies, and pain, so improving flexibility can be an effective approach to reduce pain, improve range of motion, and improve tolerance to daily tasks.

Strength Training:

Strength training is another fundamental part of physical therapy for shoulder pain. Weakness in the muscles surrounding the shoulder can lead to instability, muscle imbalance, movement faults, and pain. Your physical therapist will design a personalized program to target specific muscle groups that need strengthening based on your specific findings on examination. Exercises may include simple, mat-level strength tasks like resistance band exercises, dumbbell exercises, or bodyweight exercises, but will progress to more functional resisted strength movements like global pushing, pulling, and rotating in various directions and with a load. Strength training can help to reduce pain and improve shoulder girdle stability, allowing you to return to your daily activities, sports, and hobbies without pain.

Manual Therapy:

Manual therapy is a hands-on approach that can be effective for specific types of shoulder pain. Your therapist may use specific techniques to manipulate the soft tissue and joints surrounding the shoulder joint to reduce pain and improve range of motion, allowing you to return to your daily activities with less discomfort.

Overall, physical therapy is an effective approach to manage most types of shoulder pain. Through movement pattern corrections, strength training, flexibility, and manual therapy, physical therapy can help you get back to doing the things you love. If you are experiencing shoulder pain, it is essential to seek the guidance of a qualified physical therapist to create a personalized treatment plan to meet your specific needs. Reach out to us to start working on your shoulder pain today!

Post-Surgery Physical Therapy

How can post-op physical therapy aid in rehabilitation after surgery?

If you are recovering from surgery, chances are that you are eager to get back to your normal routines. Before that can happen, your body needs some time to heal properly and regain its strength. From tasks as simple as walking, bathing, getting dressed or just taking care of yourself, physical therapy after surgery is one of the best and safest approaches to get back to a healthy and active lifestyle.

What is post-surgical physical therapy?

No matter what type of operation you’ve had, physical therapy is a tried and true way to help speed up your post-surgery recovery. Physical therapy treatment can improve your strength and mobility through exercises that are tailored specifically to you and your body’s needs.

After surgery, your tissues, muscles, and bones go through a period of healing. Because of this, your body needs to slowly return to everyday activities, which is why limiting mobility during recovery can sometimes result in improper healing. Side effects of this can include reduced range of motion, flexibility, and functionality.

Our goal here at One To One Physical Therapy is to safely get you to your prior level of physical function. This includes successfully returning to work, recreational activities and sports.

What benefits could working with a physical therapist after surgery provide?

• Reduce swelling

• Reduce pain

• Regain range of motion

• Regain strength

• Increase endurance

• Returning to daily activities

• Improved circulation

• Minimize scar tissue formation

What types of surgical procedures tend to benefit most from post-surgery physical therapy?

• Total Knee Replacement

• Total Hip Replacement

• Total Shoulder Replacement

• Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement

• Rotator Cuff Repair

• Lumbar Laminectomy

• Lumbar Fusion

• Bunionectomy

How can One to One Physical Therapy help me recover after a surgical procedure?

Our team of experienced professionals are here to assist you every step of the way, providing you with customized “one-to-one” care at our clinic in Tacoma, WA or via our digital telehealth option. Our goal is to closely monitor your progress according to your physicians’ guidelines, as well as your individualized response to physical therapy treatment.

Together we’ll go over any post-surgical expectations, taking any precautions or restrictions into consideration, and from there our therapists will guide you through specific exercises, stretches, and other activities customized to assist in your healing, helping you to maximize your muscle strength, range of motion, and overall function.

If you’ve recently had an operation or have an upcoming surgery scheduled, give our team a call today to discuss your needs or plan ahead. Our “patient first” philosophy ensures you will receive thorough, friendly, and expert treatment customized to your specific needs and goals. We are committed to helping all of our patients continually improve their quality of life and look forward to helping you!