Physiotherapy to prevent the dreaded ‘Frozen Shoulder’
Shoulder pain is a very common reason for people to seek physiotherapy for pain relief. The primary goal is then to ease the aches, improve the patient’s quality of life, mobility, flexibility, and strength.
In this article we explore how the sources and treatment of shoulder pain with physiotherapist Nutnarinee Lerdsatittroong, better known as Khun Prahn. She’s the founder of Hua Hin’s ‘The Movement Clinic’, offering a range of services all about improving mobility, including getting you moving again, free from the discomfort and restrictions caused by shoulder pain.
Khun Prahn says that ‘’what many refer to as ‘frozen shoulder’, is when the buildup of scar tissue restricts movement inside the joint, resulting in pain and severely limiting motion over time. The shoulder becomes very stiff and hard to move, the result of not managing pain early. It may be prevented with early treatment.”
Curbing that unease and getting your shoulder back on track is what physiotherapy offers when it comes to shoulder pain management. Physiotherapy can help decrease the pain, mobilise specific tissues around the joint, and gently stretch the affected area.
Specific exercises tailored towards the shoulder pain can help provide that necessary relief. In addition, the physiotherapist sometimes suggests alternative treatment, such as acupuncture and taping techniques. Both can be used to support the delicate muscles around the neck and shoulder and reduce the pain.
Knowing the exact source of the shoulder pain helps in suggesting the best type of treatment, whether the pain is from stiffness, numbness, irritation, or bad posture. At the first consultation, the physiotherapist will thoroughly examine the injured spot.
Physiotherapy Can Help If You’ve:
– Experienced shoulder pain or niggles doing sports, at work, or at home.
– Developed pain from sitting for too long.
– Recently been involved in an accident, which damaged the shoulder.
– Had a shoulder operation.
– Been in recovery from a recent shoulder injury, and now you want to speed up the healing process.
– Taken part in a new exercise, and it’s causing you pain and discomfort.
Physiotherapy can include a range of treatments to alleviate the discomfort including heat therapy, cold therapy, a hands-on approach, stretches, strengthening, nerve stimulation, joint mobilisation, therapeutic ultrasound, kinesiology taping and athletic taping.
Most patients require four to six treatments, depending on what’s causing the problem. The therapist is likely to take a hands-on approach in the form of joint mobilisation and soft tissue massages. If necessary, other treatment methods can be implemented.
Physiotherapy will decrease scar tissue and shoulder stiffness and start strengthening the weakened area. For patients after rotator cuff repairs, initial treatments will pay close attention to the pain and reduced range of motion.
Patients then start exercising to boost their muscle strength. The strengthening process can take 12 to 16 weeks, based on the patient’s needs, desires, and goals.
It’s normal to feel apprehensive about exercising with a painful shoulder. But, if your therapist says it’s in your best interest to do specific shoulder workouts, you should do them. Simple exercises can start the healing process and give your muscles the strength to recover. Then, with the right routine, your shoulder will heal properly.
Physiotherapy can be a highly effective treatment approach for shoulder pain. Some people need time to recover, while others deal with a mild shoulder issue and will quickly get back on track. The ultimate goal is to restore a full range of motion, pain-free shoulder, and excellent muscle strength.
About The Movement Physiotherapy Clinic:
