Shoulder pain can take a huge toll on your life. Maybe you notice that you can’t lift a bag or gallon of milk that was simple to you before, then you start to avoid using that arm all.
Then you start to notice the shoulder pain limits you putting on your shirt or reach into the cabinet for a glass or a plate making it challenging to continue to care for yourself.
The shoulder joint is inherently unstable and loose to allow you to move your arm to reach overhead to wash your hair, lift or carrying a bag, or even reach behind your back to tuck in your shirt or hook your bra. These movements make the shoulder joint and muscles around it more susceptible to injuries.
Sometimes shoulder pain can be associated with medical conditions like arthritis, rotator cuff issues, or due to a frozen shoulder. If you are dealing with one of these impairments, understanding how to address your shoulder health is essential.
Working on building up the necessary strength and flexibility around the shoulder joint, along with proper positioning to allow you to continue to complete your household tasks or caring for yourself.
Here are 4 Ways To Help Keep Your Shoulder Healthy Even If You Have A Rotator Cuff Tear Or Frozen Shoulder:
1. Check Your Posture
The proper alignment of the shoulder joint and neck helps the muscles work better. If you have been told your rotator cuff muscles are injured or torn can greatly impact the movement of your shoulder. The rotator cuff is made up of four main muscles that wrap around the joint to hold the arm bone (humerus) in the socket (the glenoid). If the muscles of the rotator cuff line up nicely, there is an equal pull all the way around the shoulder joint that helps with stability for lifting a gallon of milk and reaching into the refrigerator.
2. Don’t Sleep on Your Shoulder
Shoulder pain at night or during sleep, can wake you up or limit you from getting a restful night's sleep. Sleep is vital for improving energy and keeping you active so you can perform the necessary tasks to help with staying independent in your own home. Try to avoid sleeping on your painful shoulder until all your pain is taken care of. Also, sleeping on your stomach, puts your neck in an over-arched position, causing your neck muscles to tighten up and work even harder throughout a full night’s sleep. Two great ways to sleep are on your back with a pillow under the painful arm by supporting the elbow and hand or try sleeping on the opposite side with a small pillow under your painful arm’s elbow.
3. Stay Strong and Stable
The stronger the shoulder is the less susceptible the shoulder is to pain.
The shoulder is an inherently unstable joint, which requires all the muscles to work together in perfect concert with each other. The better the “stability” the more stress the shoulder can take. So, the stronger the shoulder is and the more efficient it works together the better it stays.
4. Try Physical Therapy for Your Shoulder Pain
A physical therapist will discuss all the problems that you are experiencing, how it’s affecting your life, and what it is stopping you from doing. Then, the physical therapist will do a full examination and will discuss the findings with you and (MOST IMPORTANTLY) what can be done.
You can give us a phone call as your mobile, in-home physical therapy, and occupational therapy provider in Waukesha and we provide our services physical therapy at home throughout the Greater Milwaukee area to help you get this problem solved.
If you are looking for shoulder exercises or wondering how to get rid of your shoulder pain and live in Waukesha, Brookfield, New Berlin, Pewaukee, Hartland, Oconomowoc, Milwaukee, Greenfield, Franklin, Oak Creek, or in surrounding Greater Milwaukee communities, give us a quick phone call to schedule your physical therapy appointment or complete this quick form to set up your FREE 20-minute call ($75 value) with an in-home PT to discuss your current situation!
Talk more soon!!
Preston, PT
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