Anatomy of the shoulder
The shoulder is a complex joint, the only joint in the body that can move in 360 degrees. It is made up of 4 muscles called the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff stabilizes the 3 bones that work together to allow full rotation. The brachial plexus is a branch of nerves that runs through the joint which controls the arm, hand, and fingers. Because this joint is highly flexible with many working components, the shoulder is at risk for instability and injury.
Common conditions that result in injury, pain, and loss of function include:
Rotator cuff tears, Tendonitis, Impingement, Frozen shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis), Arthritis, and Nerve Compression (Brachial Plexus injuries).
Other conditions that affect the way our shoulders function include cervical injuries, scoliosis (curvature of the spine), kyphosis (rounding of the back/spine), “tech neck,” and muscle imbalances. Treating shoulder pain can be successful even without a diagnosis, as initial treatments focus on pain-free movements and postural correction.
What can you do?
Seek out medical advice on options for rehabilitation and medical procedures. Surgery is often a last resort and only considered after a period of healing, followed by rehab. You can begin healing, even without surgery, expensive injections, or painful exercise.
Respect pain! If it hurts, stop. Sounds cliché, but it’s true. Pain is our body’s way of communicating with us. Listening to those signs can dictate how to begin healing. Use ice and anti-inflammatory medications as directed by your medical doctor.
How are you sleeping? If your pain keeps you awake at night, you lose more than just a restful slumber. During deep sleep our body releases repairing hormones, manages inflammation, and increases blood flow to damaged tissues. Improper sleeping positions often re-injure shoulders which is why finding the right position is imperative. Utilize pillows to support your shoulder into a neutral position. Whether you sleep on your side or back, this is essential to prevent further damage and pain.
Here’s how:
When sleeping on your uninvolved side, hug or tuck a pillow in front of you. This will support the arm from hanging forward across your chest. If you must sleep on your involved side search out pillows with cut outs for your arm to reduce pressure on the shoulder. (It’s helpful to use a pillow between your knees to ensure your back remains in a healthy alignment as well).
Back sleepers must ensure that the pillow under your neck isn’t flexing your head and neck too far forward which can increase strain and impact shoulder integrity. Only use one pillow behind your head.
- Diet and knowledge If you haven’t researched the power of food, it’s time to do so. Acknowledging the effect food has on our overall health is mandatory. Just because we don’t notice immediately upon tossing back that soda or French fry, doesn’t mean the long-term effects aren’t adding up right under our noses. When asking the body to cooperate through the healing process, you MUST feed it nourishment and anti-inflammatory fuel.
- Exercise and Hydrate Exercise that is toleratedwithout pain often requires gravity reduction. Examples of these include towel stretches, range of motion in supine, shoulder rolls, and use of a pully over the door. Drink your water, as poor hydration can impede tissue healing.
What can Balance in Motion do?
- Provide training on how to perform necessary activities with less pain during the healing process. Everyday tasks like putting on your seatbelt, washing your hair, and opening the refrigerator can become gruesome when your shoulder is painful. Compensatory skills are what we do best, therefore, you can expect to re-train movement patterns resulting in pain-free task completion.
- Initiate customized ROM, stretching, and preparatory exercises to maintain function and prevent further symptoms.
- Monitor your progress and aid in determining if other interventions may be recommended.
Evaluate your symptoms and talk about options today with a FREE EVALUATION.
