Shoulder Pain is the third most common cause of pain and dysfunction after back and neck pain. At worst, it can cause debilitating pain that can severely interfere with sleep and ability to do normal functional activities such as dressing, washing, brushing/drying hair, participation in work and leisure activities. It can occur as a result of an acute or repetitive strain injury such as a fall or a sports tackle (ACROMIOCLAVICULAR JOINT SPRAIN, SUBLUXED OR DISLOCATED SHOULDER, LABRAL TEAR, ACUTE ROTATOR CUFF TEAR, FRACTURE), post-surgery (mastectomy for cancer or post radiation for breast cancer), or come seemingly out of nowhere (for example FROZEN SHOULDER, CALCIFIC TENDINITIS)! It can result from degenerative/normal age-related changes such as ROTATOR CUFF RELATED SHOULDER PAIN/ARTHRITIS. Another cause of shoulder pain/dysfunction is INSTABILITY of the shoulder joint which could be part of a generalised hypermobility syndrome, or localised to the shoulder joint.
Physiotherapy Assessment will aim to establish the contributing causes of your shoulder pain/dysfunction through the subjective history of your complaints, an objective assessment of the alignment/movement/strength of all the structures that can influence shoulder movement which includes the shoulder joint proper (glenohumeral joint), shoulder blade (scapula), acromioclavicular joint (ACJ), neck (cervical spine) and upper back (thoracic spine/ribs/muscles) organs (those more likely to possibly contribute to shoulder pain- lungs/liver/stomach/gallbladder). Strength of the lower extremities and core also plays a large role in the strength/function of the shoulders. Based on this assessment an appropriate treatment plan will be implemented, and based on response to treatment and your home exercise program therapy will progress/be adjusted as appropriate to facilitate return to normal function.