Category: Shoulder Pain

3 ways dry needling near you can help ease shoulder and neck pain
Shoulder and neck pain are common complaints among adults and can be caused by a variety of factors. Overuse, injury, poor posture, and age-related conditions can all contribute to pain and discomfort in the neck and shoulders. If you are experiencing chronic pain in these areas, there are many ways that physical therapy techniques can help to treat your symptoms.

One such technique is dry needling. Dry needling uses tiny monofilament needles to penetrate the skin, and this technique is used by licensed physical therapists to treat many different musculoskeletal conditions.

While dry needling is often confused with acupuncture, the two techniques are actually quite different. Dry needling focuses on stimulating muscles to relieve pain and stiffness. Acupuncture is intended to improve the flow of energy to the entire body and is not considered a form of physical therapy.

How does dry needling ease shoulder and neck pain?
1. Targets trigger points — Trigger points are sensitive areas that can form on bands of muscles, such as the shoulder blade or neck muscles, that cause the area to become stiff and painful. Dry needling targets these trigger points by gently manipulating the muscles until they release.
2. Relieves tension — Tension in the shoulder and neck is often caused by tension in the muscles. Dry needling relieves tension by causing deliberate spasms in the muscle. This helps the muscle to loosen, helping you regain your full range of motion.
3. Improves circulation — Dry needling can ease pain in the neck and shoulders by increasing the flow of blood to the area. Restricted blood flow can often contribute to discomfort in the muscles.
Where can I turn for dry needling physical therapy near me?

Our qualified physical therapy specialists at Continuum Wellness are ready to help relieve your shoulder and neck pain, using dry needling as well as other proven physical therapy techniques. Our dry needling therapy can be used to treat a number of common conditions, including:
- Neck and head pain.
- Shoulder tendinitis.
- Muscle spasms and tension.
- Tennis elbow and other sports injuries.
Contact our team today for more information on dry needling near you, and other ways that physical therapy can help to treat your shoulder and neck pain.
April 20, 2022
Explore 3 exercises PT experts can use to cut biceps tendinitis pain
Biceps tendinitis is a disorder that affects the upper arm between the shoulder and elbow. The main symptom of biceps tendinitis is pain when moving the arm or shoulder. It occurs when the biceps tendon becomes inflamed or irritated.

You can develop biceps tendinitis from activities that require repetitive arm movements or from lifting heavy weights. Biceps tendinitis can limit your arm’s range of motion and cause pain, especially when you’re moving your arm above your head. Thankfully, physical therapists can help you reduce biceps tendinitis pain and increase mobility with exercises and other PT methods.

Help biceps tendinitis pain with these 3 recommended exercises

Certain exercises can help with reducing the pain of biceps tendinitis. You can do them on your own or as part of a physical therapy program. The following three exercises are ones that a physical therapist may have biceps tendinitis patients do:
1. Vertical shoulder flexion — Do this exercise slowly with a weight of 3 to 5 pounds. Stand against a wall and raise your arms upward, keeping them close to the wall. Slowly extend your arms overhead; then return them to their original position. Repeat 15 times.
2. Forearm twists — Twisting your forearms keeps your arm flexible and makes the biceps tendon glide smoothly. Start by letting your injured arm hang by your side; then bend your elbow to 90 degrees. Hold the position for five seconds; then turn your palm upward. Hold the position for five seconds; then rotate your palm to face downward. Do this three times a day and 10 times per set.
3. Internal rotation stretch — Your arm rotates internally in the shoulder socket when you turn your hands from front to back, and this movement also relies heavily on your biceps. Practicing the internal rotation stretch can help maintain your ability to perform internal rotation. Put a yardstick or broom behind your back and hold it with your knuckles facing down. You’re going to feel it in your arm when you raise the stick up your back slowly with both hands. You’ll want to continue this movement for 30 seconds and then let your arms fall back down toward your butt. Make sure you do this twice a day and do four reps each time.
A physical therapist can help make sure you’re doing these and other biceps tendinitis exercises optimally. They can also offer other techniques to help reduce your pain.

Can physical therapy help my biceps tendinitis?

If you want to reduce the pain caused by biceps tendinitis, Armor Physical Therapy is ready and willing to help. Our team of licensed physical therapy specialists can work with you to create a physical therapy plan that is specifically tailored to your recovery needs. The plan we create for you will be designed to help reduce your pain and increase your mobility.

Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
April 9, 2022
Uncover 3 ways PT can treat your shoulder blade trigger points
Do you have uncomfortable knots in the muscles surrounding your shoulder blade? You may not have known this, but those are called trigger points. Trigger points are tiny points in the muscles of your shoulder that have cramped and become stiff. You can usually feel them as little bumps around your shoulder blade that hurt when they are touched. They can develop due to overuse or overexertion of the shoulder blade-supporting muscles, and after one shoulder blade trigger point develops, it can often lead to more trigger points forming.

How did your shoulder blade trigger points develop?

Shoulder blade trigger points usually develop as a result of too much stress being placed on the shoulder muscles. Some of the more common causes are:
- Repetitive movements.
- Carrying heavy bags on one shoulder.
- Improper technique when lifting.
- Poor posture.
- Preexisting shoulder conditions.
Shoulder blade trigger points may also cause pain and stiffness in the shoulders that can grow worse over time if not treated. Sometimes simple stretches and exercises can help make your shoulder feel better for a short time. Unfortunately, trigger points may not go away on their own, and the pain and stiffness may become severe enough that it prevents you from engaging in everyday activities. If that is the case, then it’s time to see a physical therapist for help.

How can physical therapy help treat my shoulder blade trigger points?

Physical therapy is an effective method for treating the pain and stiffness from shoulder blade trigger points. Your physical therapist can help you manage your pain, as well as determine what underlying problems may be causing your trigger points to occur. Some of the methods your physical therapist may use to treat you include:

Manual therapy — Manual therapy encompasses a range of techniques where your physical therapist will use their hands to manipulate and move your body. Soft tissue mobilization is one form of manual therapy that can treat trigger points in your shoulder. Your therapist will manipulate the soft tissue underneath the skin with pressure, which helps stiff muscles to loosen and increases blood flow to the area.

Dry needling therapy — This technique uses tiny needles in the affected area to offer not only immediate pain relief, but reduced muscle stiffness and tension. It can cause the affected muscles to spasm, which can loosen up the area and restore mobility to your shoulder or other areas.

Therapeutic exercise — Your physical therapist can walk you through exercises that are designed to reduce your muscle pain, increase your mobility and return your shoulder to its full range of motion. They’re also intended to strengthen your muscles, which can help prevent injuries from occurring in the future.

Can SSOR help treat my trigger points?

The answer is yes! Our team of licensed physical therapists can determine the root cause of your pain from trigger points in your shoulder, and will work with you to treat it. The goal of our physical therapy programs is to not only reduce your pain, but to treat the problem at its source, restore your full range of mobility and prevent injury from occurring in the future.

We are dedicated to the highest standards of care for our patients. Let Specialists in Sports and Orthopedic Rehabilitation be your trusted partner in your physical therapy care.

Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
March 21, 2022
3 ways shoulder blade trigger points can make your job tougher
Trigger points are knots that develop along the fibers of a muscle or in your fascia. They are also one of the most common soft tissue problems. One spot that trigger points often occur is in the trapezius muscle that helps support the shoulder blade. This muscle stretches from below the shoulder blades, up the shoulders and along the back of your neck.

These knots can often be felt in the trap muscles. Unfortunately, they can trigger pain that may radiate beyond the immediate area where the trigger points are. They can be especially painful if touched or when pressed against something, like the back of your desk chair.

What causes trigger points near your shoulder blade?

Trigger points in the trap muscles that support your shoulder blade can be caused by many factors. Among them are:
- Trauma.
- Repetitive movements.
- Certain physical activity or sports.
- A sedentary lifestyle.
- Bad posture.
- Holding the head too far forward.
- Holding a phone to the ear with your shoulder.
- Inadequate back support when seated.
How can having shoulder blade trigger points make your job tougher?

There are many ways that this issue can affect people while they’re at work. Some tasks that it can make more difficult are:
1. Heavy lifting or carrying loads — Lifting heavy items or carrying heavy loads puts a lot of strain on your shoulder, causing trigger points to be aggravated. You can make these tasks less painful by limiting how much you lift or transport at one time.
1. Repetitive pushing or pulling — Pushing or pulling objects repeatedly can put pressure on your shoulders and cause greater pain. This is often a problem for people like assembly line workers or commercial painters. One way to limit the effects of such movements is to ask someone to help you with tasks that involve pushing or pulling.
1. Making calls — Holding a phone between your neck and shoulder can strain muscles and irritate knots in your neck and shoulders. And an irritated trigger point is often a more painful one. Using a headset rather than cradling a phone between your head and shoulder may help prevent this problem.
If shoulder blade trigger points are making it hard for you to work pain-free, it is time to see a physical therapist.

Recovering from shoulder blade trigger points begins with SSOR

Our team at Specialists in Sports and Orthopedic Rehabilitation is ready to help address your shoulder blade trigger points. We offer free consultations that can help discover exactly where your trigger points are located. Our physical therapists can then build you a customized treatment plan to break up and help prevent the return of these soft tissue knots.

Contact us today to set up an appointment with one of our credentialed and knowledgeable physical therapists for help with your shoulder pain.
February 18, 2022
Can the carpal tunnel syndrome you developed at work also be causing your shoulder pain?
The carpal tunnel is a small passageway composed of ligaments and bones on the palm side of the wrist. The median nerve regulates movement and sensation in the thumb and the first three fingers. It passes through this passageway, together with the ligaments of the fingers and thumb.

When this nerve is pinched or compressed, the outcomes can include numbness, tingling, weakness and discomfort in the hand. These symptoms typically indicate you have an issue known as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Job-related factors often trigger carpal tunnel syndrome. For instance, you might be spending a lot of time working on a computer with a bad hand and wrist position on the keyboard and mouse. Carpal tunnel syndrome is much more likely if your job involves repetitive motions of the wrist or the use of vibrating tools.

Carpal tunnel syndrome and professions

Many fields can leave you susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome and the hand, arm, wrist, and shoulder issues that can stem from it. These fields include, but aren’t restricted to:
- Music industry jobs that require the playing of an instrument.
- Data entry work.
- Professional sports.
- Sewing.
- Auto maintenance.
- Gardening.
Can carpal tunnel syndrome cause shoulder pain?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by an issue with the median nerve, and this nerve is connected to others that run all the way up to your shoulder. This network of nerves is one reason you could feel shoulder pain when you have carpal tunnel syndrome. Another reason is a factor called referred pain. This is when pain travels from one place in the body and is felt in another. For instance, carpal tunnel pain may go up to your arm to your shoulder, making on-the-job routines more challenging.

How can I recover from carpal tunnel and shoulder pain?

Make an appointment with a physical therapist. Their first goal will typically be to use PT methods to reduce your pain as quickly as possible. Afterward, they can focus on boosting your range of motion with stretching and additional flexibility exercises. Lastly, exercises for building strength will be included so that after your physical therapy course of treatment is over; your pain-free lifestyle can continue.

Peak Performance SPT offers effective physical therapy for shoulder pain

Are you looking for physical therapy treatment to decrease shoulder pain? Physical therapists can treat your shoulder pain at Peak Performance Physical Therapy. A free screening can be performed to determine the cause of your shoulder pain. The therapists at our clinics can also formulate a customized physical therapy plan for you that may reduce your pain and prevent it from returning.

Please contact our staff if you are experiencing shoulder pain for more information or to schedule an appointment with our team.
February 18, 2022
Referred shoulder pain: 4 places it could be coming from
The muscles, ligaments and tendons in your shoulder can all cause shoulder pain. Yet your pain can also come from other places outside of your shoulder. This is known as referred shoulder pain.

How can you tell the difference? A physical therapist can tell you that moving your shoulder may help or worsen your shoulder pain if you have shoulder problems like a pulled muscle or osteoarthritis. But you may not notice any difference in referred shoulder pain if you move your shoulder.

Physical therapists can also help you learn about common places in your body that your referred shoulder pain could be coming from.

4 common places that referred shoulder pain may come from
1. Neck/upper back — Numerous nerves run through the neck and upper back and into the shoulders. An issue that pinches one of these nerves can be the source of referred pain in the shoulder. A bulging disc, for example, can press on a nerve and cause pain to radiate down into the shoulder.
1. Gallbladder — The gallbladder is another area from which shoulder pain can originate. An issue like gallstones causes the gallbladder to become inflamed and swollen. These symptoms can cause the gallbladder to irritate the nearby phrenic nerve. This nerve runs from your abdomen to your neck. As a result, many people with gallstones develop pain near their right shoulder blade.
1. The esophagus/stomach — Heartburn is a common issue that is caused by stomach acid getting into the esophagus. The acid triggers irritation and pain that’s often felt in the central chest area, but it can also spread through nearby nerves into the shoulder blade area.
1. The ovaries — Ruptured ovarian cysts are often a normal part of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Unfortunately, they can also cause right shoulder pain and discomfort. The reason? A ruptured ovarian cyst can irritate the nerves running up to your diaphragm and between your shoulders. After the cysts heal, the pain tends to subside.
How can physical therapy help with referred shoulder pain?

Your physical therapist will assess and prescribe the right protocol for your pain. Strengthening exercises can help increase support in areas like the neck where a nerve may be pinched. Manual therapy and cupping can also help treat sources of radiating shoulder pain.

Whatcom PT can help you address referred shoulder pain

If you believe your shoulder pain stems from another condition, our team at Whatcom Physical Therapy is here to help discover the root cause. A free screening is one tool we can use to determine the source of your shoulder pain. Our physical therapists can then build you a treatment program that can reduce pain and keep it from returning.

Contact our team today for more information on our shoulder pain treatment services or to schedule an initial appointment.
February 14, 2022
3 reasons your shoulder is popping and in pain
Your shoulder may click or pop when you move it. This is known as crepitus. A cracking, grinding, or popping shoulder may be accompanied by a sharp pain or warmth. Shoulder popping and pain can be quite disarming, and your symptoms are likely the result of an underlying health condition or injury.

What is crepitus?

Crepitus refers to the wide variety of sounds that can come from your shoulder or other joint. Such sounds can include popping, creaking, grinding and cracking. The construction of the shoulder joint actually makes crepitus and injuries much more likely.

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint. The humerus bone sits below and inside the scapula, and four muscles connect them. You may have heard these four muscles called the rotator cuff. The labrum, a cartilage structure inside your shoulder blade, acts as a soft cup that secures your arm in position.

The way the shoulder joint is built allows your arms to move freely. Yet this freedom of movement also means the shoulder is unstable by design. As a result, it is more likely to develop issues like crepitus or shoulder impingement.

What’s causing that shoulder popping and pain?

There are many shoulder issues that could be behind your shoulder popping and pain. Here are a few common causes:
1. Osteoarthritis — You can lose cartilage that keeps your bones from rubbing against each other. If you hear a snapping or cracking sound in your shoulder, your bones may be making contact. Arthritis can often be detected by noises like grating or cracking.
1. Labral tears — The labrum is a cartilage structure that can be torn due to overuse, age or injury. The damage can be quite painful. When you use your shoulder for any reason, you could hear a grinding or popping sound when your labrum is torn. Labral tears are also characterized by consistent pain and discomfort with virtually any exertion.
1. Osteochondroma — You may experience shoulder cracking due to a benign growth in your shoulder or on your scapula called an osteochondroma. This is the most common benign growth. There may be no other symptoms.
If you would like to get to the bottom of your shoulder popping and pain, it’s time to see a physical therapist. Your therapist will be able to accurately assess you and develop a plan for your recovery.

Recovery from shoulder popping and pain begins with SSOR

Specialists in Sports and Orthopedic Rehabilitation is ready to target your shoulder popping and pain. We can help you learn the cause of your symptoms with a free consultation. Our team can also provide customized treatment plans for many shoulder issues.

Contact us today to set up an appointment with one of our credentialed and knowledgeable physical therapists to address your shoulder popping and pain.
February 11, 2022
Shoulder pain during or after pregnancy? Here are 3 ways PT can help you
Shoulder pain is a more common complaint after pregnancy than you might think. This pain can be the result of repetitive movements, such as feeding your baby, carrying your baby on the same side or placing them over the same shoulder. This can result in muscle tension, pain and a loss of flexibility. Women may also experience inflammation due to the hormone activity that occurs naturally during pregnancy.

This shoulder pain can cause many women to have difficulty performing everyday tasks, working or participating in sports. Thankfully, shoulder pain during or after pregnancy can be treated with the help of a licensed physical therapist.

How can physical therapy help with my shoulder pain during or after pregnancy?

There are a number of methods a physical therapist can use to address the pain and discomfort you are experiencing in your shoulder. The end goal of any physical therapy plan is to let you return to your daily activities without pain or any restrictions on your flexibility or movement.

Here’s how a physical therapist achieves these goals:
1. Determining the source of pain — A licensed physical therapist will screen you before starting any physical therapy plan. They will ask you questions about your pain and assess your ability to move. This helps them create a physical therapy plan tailored to your individual needs.
1. Guiding you through exercises — Therapeutic exercises are designed to help reduce pain, increase flexibility and prevent injury. Your physical therapist will guide you through exercises to help eliminate your shoulder pain and make your shoulder stronger.
1. Employing specialized techniques — Your physical therapist may use specialized techniques, such as dry needling and aquatic therapy, to help treat your shoulder pain during or after pregnancy. These techniques are tried and proven to help reduce pain and inflammation, as well as increase mobility.
How can I get started with physical therapy to treat my shoulder pain from pregnancy?

Rehab Access Physical Therapy is ready to help you live without shoulder pain during or after your pregnancy. Our team of licensed physical therapy specialists will work with you to create a physical therapy plan that is perfectly suited to your needs.

A free screening at one of our clinics will get you started. With our philosophy of providing hands-on care and one-on-one attention, we achieve excellent results with our physical therapy patients.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
February 11, 2022
4 sources of posterior shoulder pain and 3 ways PT can treat it
Do you feel pain in the back of your shoulder that doesn’t seem to go away? Does it hurt more when you move your arm, or feel stiff and difficult to move the way that it should? This is a common complaint. According to experts, 14 out of every 1,000 patients every year complain about shoulder pain to their primary practitioner.

Your posterior shoulder pain could be due to one of many causes. It may also appear during your normal activities, such as when you’re on a run. Thankfully, physical therapists are trained to pinpoint the source of your shoulder pain, and many common shoulder conditions can be treated with physical therapy.

What is causing my posterior shoulder pain?

There are a number of reasons why you might be experiencing posterior shoulder pain. Some of the most common sources are:
1. Tendinitis — Shoulder tendinitis can occur when the muscles of the shoulder are placed under too much stress. This causes microscopic tears in the tendons that connect the muscles to the shoulder bones, resulting in tenderness and pain.
1. Shoulder impingement — If your shoulder hurts more when you raise your arm above your head, you may be suffering from a shoulder impingement injury. This happens when a tendon in your shoulder rubs against the bone or against another tendon. This condition is painful and also causes stiffness and inflammation.
1. Rotator cuff injury — A more severe cause of posterior shoulder pain could be a rotator cuff injury. Your rotator cuff may be injured if you feel pain when you extend your arm outward.
1. Frozen shoulder — A frozen shoulder makes your shoulder not only difficult to move freely, but also very painful. It happens when the part of your shoulder that connects to your upper arm becomes severely inflamed. The symptoms of a frozen shoulder can last a long time.
How can physical therapy help treat my posterior shoulder pain?

There are many methods a licensed physical therapist can use to treat posterior shoulder pain. After they have examined your aching shoulder and determined the source of your pain, they may use one or more of the following techniques to address it:
1. Joint mobilization — If your painful shoulder is accompanied by stiff and inflexible joints, physical therapists can use joint mobilization techniques to help. These techniques employ gentle movement and pressure to restore range of motion to your joints.
1. Soft tissue mobilization — Pain in your shoulder muscles can be treated using hands-on manual therapy techniques such as soft tissue mobilization. This method helps to break up scar tissue that may be causing stiffness, as well as relieving pain and reducing inflammation.
1. Electrical stimulation therapy — Using a special machine, and adhesive nodes attached to your painful shoulder, a physical therapist can use electrical stimulation to loosen and relax your muscles. This can help relieve pain and stiffness.
Where can I turn for my posterior shoulder pain treatment?

If you are experiencing shoulder pain and want to explore your treatment options, our team of licensed physical therapy specialists are here to help. At Panther Physical Therapy, we will work with you to determine the source of your pain and craft a physical therapy program perfectly suited to your needs.

Contact our team today for more information about help for shoulder pain or to schedule an initial appointment.
February 11, 2022
4 techniques physical therapists can use to ease shoulder pain from sleeping
Waking up from a night of uncomfortable sleep can leave you feeling achy and unenergized for the rest of the day. If you have woken up with a painful or stiff feeling in your shoulder, you may find it difficult to perform everyday work or activities that you enjoy.

While there are several reasons you may experience shoulder pain from sleeping, many of them can be treated without the need for surgery. According to the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, nearly 80% of patients found physical therapy to be very effective in treating their shoulder pain.

Why am I experiencing shoulder pain from sleeping?

Waking up with a painful or stiff shoulder could be caused by:
- Bursitis — Bursitis is inflammation or irritation of a bursa sac typically caused by repeated pressure on an area or repetitive use.
- Shoulder impingement — A shoulder impingement can occur when the tendons in your shoulder rub or become caught on the bone. This causes pain that becomes worse when the arm is lifted over the head.
- Osteoarthritis of the shoulder — As we age, the cartilage between our joints becomes thinner. This causes the joints to rub against one another, causing pain and stiffness in the joints. Osteoarthritis of the shoulder is very common in people over 65 years of age.
How can physical therapists help with shoulder pain from sleeping?

If your shoulder hurts after you sleep, it may be time to turn to a licensed physical therapist in your area. Here are four ways that they can help:
1. Joint mobilization — Joint mobilization techniques allow your physical therapist to restore movement to joints that are experiencing stiffness, inflammation or a reduced range of motion. If you cannot move the joint a certain way on your own, your physical therapist will use their hands to help you do so.
1. Soft tissue mobilization — The muscles and tendons in your shoulder are all considered soft tissue. During soft tissue mobilization, fibrous scar tissue is broken up by applying deep pressure and rhythmic stretching to the muscle. It is also effective in treating spasms or other causes of muscle pain in the shoulder.
1. Muscle energy therapy — This method helps improve joint mobility by intentionally stretching the muscles around it by moving the joint in a specific direction.
1. Sleep position training — Choosing the right way to sleep can help reduce pain while recovering from a shoulder injury or condition. Your physical therapist can instruct you on the best positions and techniques to reduce your shoulder pain from sleeping.
If you are suffering from shoulder pain from sleeping, it may be time to turn to a licensed physical therapist for help. Come by any one of Advent Physical Therapy’s West Michigan clinics for a free screening, and our team will help to determine the source of your shoulder pain and work with you to create a physical therapy plan that is perfectly suited to your needs.

Contact our team today for more information on how physical therapy can help.
February 11, 2022
Why turn to PT if you have shoulder popping but no pain?
Are you feeling concerned about your shoulder popping issue even though you aren’t experiencing any pain? Are you unsure if you should consult a doctor or physical therapist? Do you feel like maybe you should ignore it until you do start to feel pain in your shoulder? These are all important questions that a physical therapist can help you answer.

Why is physical therapy helpful for those with shoulder popping but no pain?

You could consider seeing your primary care physician for this issue, but you will probably not receive any treatment if you aren’t experiencing pain. That’s where physical therapists come in. These musculoskeletal system experts recognize the need for a thorough evaluation of your symptoms even if you aren’t in any pain. They can also help you come up with a treatment plan made just for you, which may include therapeutic exercise and more.

What are some potential causes of popping in the shoulder but no pain?
- Previous shoulder injury — If you have a history of shoulder injury, you could be at an elevated risk of having a shoulder that pops. This could be caused by scar tissue left behind from your previous injury. Eventually, such a lingering problem can trigger pain if left unaddressed.
- Injury to a tendon — If you’re hearing strange noises coming from your shoulder during movement, but no pain, you could have a tendon injury. Rotator cuff tendons can develop microscopic tears and could contribute to this condition.
- Weak muscles — When your muscles are in a weakened state, your shoulders are more prone to injury. Weak muscles may also put more stress on other shoulder structures and trigger the popping you’re hearing.
- Inflamed bursae — The bursae, or fluid-filled sacs, in your shoulder joints could be inflamed. As long as the inflammation is minor, you might only know this issue is there because of the odd sounds coming from your shoulder.
- Labrum tear — The labrum is located in the shoulder joint and when torn, it can reduce movement capabilities and potentially even cause popping noises. However, a minor tear may do so while causing little or no discomfort.
Don’t wait until you have pain in your shoulder to see a physical therapist for shoulder popping. If you’re experiencing popping in your shoulder, it is best to reach out to the SOL Physical Therapy team for evaluation and treatment. We’re committed to helping you on your health and wellness journey.

Contact our team today for more information about shoulder issues or to schedule an initial appointment.
February 11, 2022
Why do I have shoulder pain from sleeping on my side?
Many people find that they wake up tired, sore and uncomfortable after a night of sleeping on their side. Even if you have slept on your side all your life, you may wake one day to find that your shoulder is in pain, and you didn’t get a good night’s sleep. A lack of sleep will not only make you feel tired and groggy during the day, it could actually make your aching shoulder feel worse. Studies have shown that the loss of even one night’s sleep can increase the levels of inflammation in the body.

Why am I experiencing shoulder pain from sleeping on my side?

Waking up with a painful shoulder could be caused by a number of things. Some of the most common causes include:
- Rotator cuff injury — If your shoulder hurts when you sleep on your side, you may have experienced an injury to the muscles in your shoulder. Your rotator cuff, the muscles that allow your shoulder to move freely, can become injured from repetitive use or a sudden impact. If you play sports, or you have recently been in a car accident, you may have injured your rotator cuff without realizing it.
- Sleeping on only one side — Many people sleep on their sides. However, sleeping too often or too much on the same side can put excessive stress on the shoulder. A recent study showed that 67% of the patients that experienced shoulder pain had a habit of always sleeping on the same shoulder.
- Osteoarthritis of the shoulder — Osteoarthritis of the shoulder is very common in people over 65 years of age. As we age, the cartilage between our joints becomes thinner. This causes the joints to rub against one another, causing pain and stiffness in the joints. Shoulder osteoarthritis combined with sleeping on the affected shoulder can lead to increased shoulder pain when you first wake up.
What can I do to prevent shoulder pain from sleeping on my side?

There are several things you can do at home to help reduce the pain you feel after sleeping on your side.
- Sleep on your back — Sleeping on your back can help prevent you from putting a lot of weight on your shoulder. This position is easy and comfortable for most people to keep throughout the night, and it can also help prevent back and neck pain.
- Use extra pillows for support — Having extra pillows around you can prevent you from accidentally rolling onto your shoulder while you sleep. Placing a cushion underneath the affected shoulder or arm may also help avoid putting any strain on the area.
- Use a heating pad before bed — Direct heat can help improve the blood flow to your shoulder muscles. This can help with relieving pain and keeping the muscles more flexible.
Can physical therapy help with shoulder pain from sleeping on my side?

While simple at-home practices can help make your shoulder pain more bearable, it is recommended that you seek treatment to help with the underlying cause of your shoulder pain from sleeping on your side. That is where a licensed physical therapist can help.

At Armor Physical Therapy, we can help pinpoint the cause of your shoulder pain and work with you to develop a physical therapy plan specially suited to your needs. Using tried and proven physical therapy methods such as manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, dry needling, and more, we can help to reduce your pain, strengthen your body and restore your flexibility.

If you’re ready to get a good night’s sleep again, contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
February 11, 2022