How Physical Therapy Can Help With Your Shoulder Problems

Whether your problem requires a physician's care or not, a physical therapist will likely be involved in all phases of your shoulder's rehabilitation. If surgery is a possibility, the physical therapist will work with you before and after surgery to guide you through a program to help increase your strength and regain motion.

"Use It of Lose It." In the past several years there has been a dramatic change in the health profession's approach to rehabilitation. The current thinking can be summed up as "use it or lose it." In the past, for example, you might have been told to keep your arm in a sling for weeks after a procedure such as rotator cuff surgery. Today, physical therapists make it their top priority to "get you going" again as soon as possible after surgery. Why? Because keeping the shoulder immobilized causes the muscles to weaken and atrophy: furthermore, immobilization weakens bones and joint cartilage, and promotes soft-tissue scarring.

Your physical therapist has the skills and knowledge to make your recovery as quick as possible and the know-how to strike a balance between rest and function in the healing progress.

Exercise - stretching and strengthening - is the key to preventing shoulder problems. If you already have a shoulder problem or pain, it would be wise to consult with a physical therapist before embarking on an exercise regimen. Beyond that, it's important to remember "exercise" is not a matter or high-tech weight-lifting machines or "going for the burn." You can stretch and strengthen during the three minutes per hour that you're not at your computer keyboard…or you can do it at home with light dumbbells, or even with a couple of soup cans for weights. Remember, exercise is like medicine - in the right doses it can work wonders; in the wrong doses it can do more harm than good.

Evaluation - Physical therapy places great emphasis on this process. Your therapist will take a medical history, perform a thorough evaluation to identify the problem, and discuss the findings and treatment plan with you. Pain felt in the area of the shoulder can sometimes be caused by a variety of conditions, including a pinched nerve in the neck and cardiac ailments. If your problem isn't suitable for treatment by physical therapy, your physical therapist will refer you to a physician for treatment.

Treatment - Your physical therapist, often in consultation with a physician, will design a treatment regimen tailored to your individual problem, working to restore flexibility and ease discomfort. Treatment may include heat, cold, massage, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, traction, or mobilization, as well as exercises for relaxation, conditioning, restoring range of motion, strength, endurance, and coordination.

Aftercare and Education - You don't need to become an expert in physical therapy to avoid or overcome injury, but you may need to learn some new habits or modify your physical activity, whether it involves work, recreation, or both. Once your physical therapy goals are met, your physical therapist will help you continue therapy on your own with a home program designed to fit your needs. The goal of physical therapy is to return you to normal activity as soon as possible, with skills you need to prevent reinjury or disability.