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Recovery Guide: Shoulder

Bulletproof Your Shoulder

With A Customized Recovery Plan

Cranky Shoulders

There’s nothing more frustrating to deal with than shoulder pain. It is exceptionally troublesome when it limits your ability to reach over your head, swing a golf club or tennis racket, and wakes you up when turning over in bed. Symptoms may include:

  • Sharp pain with reaching activities.
  • Dull constant ache at night.
  • Stiffness and limited mobility.
  • Weakness when reaching for a gallon of milk.
  • Radiating pain into the arm or neck.

The main types of shoulder pain

Sprains

Sprains

Shoulder sprains are injuries of the ligaments that hold your shoulder joints together.Most commonly, sprains will occur due to a fall on an outreached arm. The structure most commonly effect is the acromioclavicular joint (tip of the collar bone)..

Rotator Cuff Tears

Rotator Cuff Tears

The most common causes of shoulder pain is the rotator cuff. Repetitive stress on tendons will result in inflammation and injury known as rotator tendinitis. Typically, tendinitis will occur due to improper posture and shoulder blade weakness, repetitive activity with minimal rest, or poor rotator cuff mechanics.Tendinitis will result in swelling, tenderness, and pain when reaching overhead and occasional stiffness at rest.

Frozen Shoulder

Frozen Shoulder

More descriptively known as adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder is experienced as stiffness and pain of the shoulder joint which gets gradually worse then better over time. The fluctuating stages of frozen shoulder symptom can last months or even years.

Labral Tears

Labral Tears

The labrum is a piece of fibrocartilage located deep in the shoulder joint. It provides stability. Its also is an attachment for the capsule and surrounding rotator cuff and biceps muscles. The labrum can tear due to extreme ranges of motion, traumatic force, or a fall on an outstretched arm. Mild to moderate tears may be treated with conservative treatment such as physical therapy and shoulder stabilization training.

Arthritis

Arthritis

Ongoing irritation and Inflammation of the shoulder joint may result in cartilage “wear and tear.” Shoulder arthritis is characterized by stiffness and swelling that may be worse in the morning or evening. Once the joint is warmed up and stretched, symptoms typically improve however it is important to continue to stretch to prevent further tissue damage.

Bursitis

Burstitis

An inflammation or other irritation to the bursa, a lubricating fluid filled sac, bursitis can have multiple causes but age plays a predominant role.

Fine tuning the mechanics

We have successfully treated hundreds of shoulders by correcting the mechanics of the thoracic spine, shoulder blade and shoulders. Strengthening the rotator cuff and muscles around the shoulder blade will eliminate excess stress on the irritated tissues. Whether its recovering from surgery, sports injury, or degenerative changes in tissue, shoulders need some TLC followed by gradual strengthening.

Calm Tissues Down, Build em back up

After treating hundreds of various shoulder injuries, I have been able to provide patients with a customized recovery plan by following a very simple formula: “Calm the tissues down and then strengthen them back up”. This is done by following 4 progressive steps:

1

Protect

Avoid painful overhead movements if it lasts longer than 3-5 min.
Don’t try to push through pain.
Use over the counter brace, ACE wraps, KT taping,  

2

Correct

Change your hand/arm position when reaching overhead.
Find a more comfortable way to move or find a position of relief.
Sit up taller, change posture when moving shoulder.

3

Activate & Load

Try squeezing shoulder blades together and hold for 30 seconds.
Try swinging arm back and forth repetitively or take a 15 minute walk.
Perform muscle isometrics by pushing agains the wall for 30 seconds 2 minute rest repeat 3-5x.  

4

Physical therapy

If symptoms persist for 2-3 weeks, consult with a physical therapist or medical professional

Getting Back in the game

Your pain will lessen and your confidence will increase after experiencing our innovative treatment techniques. We will guide you through a step by step process and help you discover you return to a pain free daily routine while strengthening your shoulders. This will improve your sleep, your golf game, tennis swing, and get you feeling 100% confident returning to the gym.

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