Shoulder Injury Treatment

How Does The Shoulder Work?

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, which makes it unstable and easily susceptible to injury. You can think of the shoulder joint as a golf ball, laid sideways on a very small tee. Tendons and ligaments hold the head of the humerus (to stop the ball falling off the tee) in the cup formed by the clavicle and scapula. The tendons are referred to collectively as the rotator cuff. Rotator cuff injuries are very common, painful and restrict mobility significantly. These types of injuries are called ‘shoulder impingements’ and are generally caused from the rotator cuff or bursa being pinched. If the shoulder blade isn’t held in a good position, which can be caused by bad posture or weak muscles, the soft tissues can experience pinching or inflammation, making it difficult to do overhead work or anything that involves lifting the arm above the shoulder.

Can I Treat Shoulder Injuries Myself?

It’s important to seek the help of one of our Sydney physiotherapists when dealing with a shoulder injury, since pain can be felt in different areas to where the damage has actually occurred.

You can treat shoulder pain before a consultation in the following ways:

1. Use ice on the affected area instead of heat. Heat can worsen the injury but cooling it down will help
2. Try to rest your shoulder as much as possible. Don’t do anything that might aggravate the injury
3. Sleep on your other side

What Happens During Consultation?

Your Sydney physio will assess your shoulder injury and treat it during the consultation by using soft tissue massage, stretches and physiotherapy-based exercises.

They will assign you stretches and shoulder exercises to continue to treat your injury and may prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID’s) medication if needed. In severe cases, surgery or a steroidal injection may be required.

It is important to complete any shoulder exercises or stretches we give you, in order to strengthen the affected muscle.

Contact us on 02 9223 3122 to speak to a physiotherapist, or make an appointment at Sydney CBD Physiotherapy.

shoulder treatment, injury tips