Category: Shoulder Pain

Three physical therapy exercises that can help your separated shoulder
Man, your shoulder is hurting and you feel some weakness in your arm. What in the world did you do? Maybe you overdid it by exercising or playing sports or, perhaps, you fell and separated your shoulder. Shoulder pain from a separated shoulder is frustrating, but you can be on your way to recovery with proper physical therapy exercises.

What is a separated shoulder?

Your shoulder is held together by ligaments that attach your collarbone to your shoulder blade. You can separate your shoulder when you injure these ligaments. Minor injuries may include overstretched ligaments, while severe injuries would include torn ligaments.

Symptoms and causes of a separated shoulder

In most cases, if you have a separated shoulder it could be because you experienced a blow to the joint of your shoulder. Either someone ran into you or you fell. This type of injury is particularly common in sports such as football, hockey, volleyball or gymnastics. If you’ve separated your shoulder, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Shoulder pain.
- A bump near the top of your shoulder.
- Weakness in your affected arm.
- Bruising or swelling on or near your shoulder.
- Limited shoulder movement.
Exercises for a separated shoulder

If you’ve separated your shoulder, working with your physical therapist to identify some exercises can help you recover quicker. Here are three types of exercises your physical therapist may recommend for a separated shoulder:
- Neck rotation — While sitting, rotate your head to the left and hold it for 10 to 15 seconds. Then, rotate your head to the right, holding the position for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Shoulder rolls — Sit comfortably in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Rotate your shoulders forward and then roll them backward in smooth, circular motions.
- Shoulder blade squeeze — Stand with your hands at your side. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold the position for five seconds.
If you experience any pain or discomfort, stop and inform your physical therapist. Some discomfort may be expected when performing exercises for a separated shoulder, but pain can also signal another issue or that slight adjustments need to be made to help you be more comfortable. Your specialist may also recommend that you adjust how you sleep at night to reduce the amount of pressure placed on your shoulder.

At SSOR, our physical therapists can perform a free screening to determine which issue you have and make a plan to treat it. Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
November 3, 2021
Why is playing tennis causing me to feel shoulder pain?
Playing tennis was supposed to help you get out of the house and be more active. Yet you’ve reached a point where every tennis session leaves you with pain in your shoulder.

The good news is that you aren’t alone. Medical researchers estimate that 24% of tennis players who are between 12 and 19 years old develop shoulder pain. They also report that half of all middle-aged players will develop shoulder pain. Why is it that so many tennis players develop shoulder pain? Physical therapists can help answer this burning question.

What is it about playing tennis that can lead to shoulder pain?

There are many factors that can leave your shoulder hurting after playing tennis. Some of these include:
1. Poor swing mechanics — Swinging your tennis racket allows you to hit the ball harder and faster. But it can also put more strain on your shoulder and elbow if your swing is out of whack.
1. Poor body mechanics — Many parts of your body are involved in hitting a tennis ball. Your feet should be properly positioned, and your leg and torso muscles should be adding force to your hit. If these mechanics aren’t being used, the result can be overworking your shoulder.
1. Too many matches — People who are just getting into a sport have a tendency to do too much too quickly. After all, sports are fun to play, and this fact can blind us to how much effort they require. Putting in more effort than you’re used to can often lead to increased stiffness and pain.
How can physical therapists help with your shoulder pain?

Tennis players don’t have to continue living with chronic pain in their neck, shoulders or other body parts. You can work with a physical therapist to reduce your pain. A physical therapist can help you:
- Develop an exercise program to help you warm up before and cool down after a match.
- Improve shoulder range of motion using techniques like joint mobilization.
- Reduce pain with therapy methods like soft tissue mobilization or aquatic therapy.
- Build strength in your legs, butt and core to help reduce tennis-related shoulder strain.
Excel PT offers effective treatment for sports-related shoulder pain

Easing and preventing shoulder pain from playing tennis or other sports are worthy goals. Our team at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy is eager to help you meet these and other sports-related goals. Our free screenings allow us to pinpoint the source of your pain. Then, our top-notch physiotherapists can build you a custom treatment plan designed to reduce your pain as rapidly as possible and help prevent it from returning.

Contact our team today for more information about how we can assist athletes or to schedule an initial appointment to start treating your pain.
November 3, 2021
How long is the physical therapy for rotator cuff surgery?
You thought just athletes and sports fanatics were prone to rotator cuff tears? Nope. In fact, nearly 20% of people will experience a torn rotator cuff, according to a research study. The study also found that the frequency increases with age. And, research estimates that shoulder pain affects 31% of Americans each month. Maybe you can relate. Have you been experiencing pain related to a torn rotator cuff and been told you need surgery to fix it?

The good news is that physical therapy can help speed up your recovery after you’ve had rotator cuff surgery. Regardless, though, recovering from rotator cuff surgery will take time. It can take anywhere from four to six months for you to fully recover from rotator cuff surgery with physical therapy.

Why does it take so long to heal from rotator cuff surgery with physical therapy?

Your shoulder is made up of a ball-and-socket joint. The rotator cuff’s job is to keep the ball portion of the joint centered in the socket. When the rotator cuff is torn or compromised, it can cause pain in your shoulder and arm. The healing process takes time because of the usage and location of the joint.

Exercises for after surgery

You may find yourself looking for ways to safely move your shoulder after surgery and reduce how long you have to attend physical therapy. It’s important to work with your physical therapist to learn which exercises can help you safely strengthen your joint. Check out these most recommended physical therapy exercises to do after rotator cuff surgery:
- Reaching exercises — While sitting in a chair, gently raise your arms over your head, straightening as much as you can comfortably. Alternate moving each arm forward, acting like you are reaching for something.
- Assisted shoulder elevation — You can try this exercise while sitting or standing. Begin by cupping your hands together, slowly lifting your arms toward your head. Try to keep your arms as straight as comfortably possible. After about 20 seconds, lower your arms back to the starting position.
- Rotator cuff strength — While standing, place your arms slightly behind your back and clasp your hands together. Stretch your arms as much as is comfortably tolerated and slowly raise your arms.
At Panther Physical Therapy, our experienced physical therapists can work with you both before and after your surgery to get you on the road to recovery. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
November 1, 2021
Is physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery painful?
Anytime someone injures their rotator cuff or has surgery on it, they can expect a certain amount of pain. One of the primary goals of surgery and physical therapy is to help people treat their rotator cuff pain. Of course, surgery can lead to pain even after it’s over. But what about physical therapy? Is physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery painful?

Four things you should know about physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery and pain

“Physical therapy is painful after rotator cuff surgery.” That may be the rumor that you’ve heard, and it may be keeping you from going to post-surgical rehab. However, this rumor is exactly that for most people: a rumor. The fact is that research shows physical therapy is up to 92% effective at helping people heal after a rotator cuff injury. Here are four other things you should know about pain and physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery:
1. It’s not designed to be painful — There is almost always some discomfort when moving a healing rotator cuff. This is often true even after you’re ready to start physical therapy. However, physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery isn’t designed to be painful. If you are feeling pain, you should let your physical therapist know immediately.
1. Physical therapists will check in with you to see if you’re in pain — Even if you don’t say you’re in pain, your physical therapist will still check. They may ask you to tell them if you have pain while you’re working with them. In addition, your physical therapist may ask you to keep track of any things you do at home that trigger pain. Even if they aren’t physical therapy related.
1. You can and should stop any technique that leads to pain — Your physical therapist doesn’t want you to keep doing something that’s painful. That’s one reason why you can and should stop doing any technique or movement that is overly painful. Keep in mind: A little discomfort is often normal; severe pain is not.
1. Physical therapists can modify your treatment plan to reduce risk of pain — You may be worried about not using a painful physical therapy technique. But you shouldn’t be. Physical therapists have many techniques at their disposal. This means they can often substitute a different technique for the painful one. Your clinician can also modify specific exercises or techniques to help reduce the level of discomfort they cause.
Physical therapy can reduce pain after rotator cuff surgery at Franklin Rehab

Keen to find physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery that is designed to ease pain? Our team at Franklin Rehabilitation is primed to help you find what you’re looking for. We offer free screenings that can assess your pain level before you begin your post-surgical rehab. Our clinicians are also experienced at creating personalized rehab plans for each patient, and these plans are designed to:
- Reduce pain.
- Speed up healing.
- Improve shoulder flexibility and function.
- Slash your risk of future rotator cuff injuries.
Contact our team today for more information about our post-surgical rehab services or to schedule an initial appointment to start getting our help after surgery.
November 1, 2021
How long is physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery?
A rotator cuff tear sounds like it should send people scurrying to meet with their doctor, but you might be surprised to hear that many people have rotator cuff tears and don’t even know it. One medical study reports that 34% of the people surveyed had a rotator cuff tear but no symptoms.

Tears that cause mild to moderate symptoms are often successfully treated with physical therapy and other nonsurgical treatments. Studies show that the success rate of physical therapy may be as high as 92%. Yet there are some people who may require surgery for their rotator cuff tear. These people may be wondering, how long is physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery going to take? A physical therapist can help you answer this important question.

Just how long is physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery likely to take?

There will be plenty of hurdles for you to get over once you have rotator cuff surgery. Shoulder pain will likely be one of them. Another common challenge is how long physical therapy and general recovery after rotator cuff surgery is likely to take. There are many steps that your physical therapist may take during your shoulder’s recovery process. Generally, these steps will fall into one of the four basic rotator cuff surgery recovery stages. These stages include:
1. Stage 1: Passive motion.
This stage lasts from immediately after your surgery to about six weeks after surgery. During this stage, your physical therapist will use their hands to move your arm and shoulder. This movement can help ease tension and pain, but it also keeps you from straining the healing rotator cuff muscles.
1. Stage 2: Active motion.
Recovery stage 2 typically lasts from six to 12 weeks following your surgery. Your physical therapist will encourage you to move your shoulder and arm on your own at this point. However, they will not apply any resistance during these movements.
1. Stage 3: Strengthening.
Stage 3 adds resistance to the active movements you did in stage 2. Your physical therapist may also introduce other strengthening techniques at this point. Typically, stage 3 of your recovery will last from about three months post-surgery to about four months post-surgery.
1. Stage 4: Return to full activity.
So, here is the final answer to the question, “How long is physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery likely to take?” It can take four to six months of physical therapy to return to full activity.

Border TS can help you minimize how long physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery is going to take

Want to decrease how long physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery is going to take? That’s only natural. Our Border Therapy Services physical therapists are eager to help minimize your post-surgical recovery time. One way we can do so is by creating a personalized pre-surgical rehab plan for you. This plan will work with you before surgery to reduce pain and prepare your injured shoulder for surgery. Often, putting this work in before surgery helps reduce your post-surgical recovery time. In addition, our physical therapists can build you a customized post-surgical recovery plan that’s tailored to your specific needs and that can help you recover faster.

Contact our team today for more information about our pre- and post-surgical rehab services or to schedule an initial appointment.
November 1, 2021
When should I start physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery?
The answer to the question, “When should I start physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery?” is slightly different for every patient. However, many patients begin their post-surgical physical therapy about seven to 10 days after surgery. As for what is involved in physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery, there are three basic stages that you’re likely to go through.

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Three basic stages of physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery

It’s important to understand that what is involved in physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery tends to vary from patient to patient. Also, even the stages we are about to discuss can overlap somewhat. That being said, post-rotator cuff surgery rehab typically goes through three stages:
1. Passive movement — About seven to 10 days after your surgery, you should have your first physical therapy session. Part of your session will involve your physical therapist checking to see how your healing is progressing. They may also start helping you through some passive movements.
For instance, your clinician may use a manual therapy technique called joint mobilization. This technique involves the clinician using their hands to move your shoulder through as much of its range of motion as possible without any assistance from you. The goal is to help stretch your shoulder, reduce pain and improve blood flow to it without putting any strain on your healing rotator cuff. This stage of your recovery tends to be about six weeks long.
1. Active movement — Once your healing has progressed far enough, you will move into about six weeks of active movement. Active movement is different from passive movement because you’re actually moving your shoulder yourself. However, you aren’t doing any of the movements with resistance. It’s often at this stage where your physical therapist will give you a series of therapeutic exercises to do at home. You should be sure to let them know if any of the movements are causing increased shoulder pain.
1. Strengthening — As you reach about the 12-week mark, you will enter the third phase of physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery. This is the strengthening stage. It can also be the longest of the recovery stages you’ll go through. In most cases, it can take a total of four to six months to get through all three recovery stages and return to normal daily activities. However, some patients don’t reach this goal until a year or more has passed.
You’ll start this recovery phase by adding light resistance to your active movements. Often, this resistance is provided by light weights or resistance bands. Other physical therapists may have you do aquatic therapy to take advantage of the natural resistance that water offers. Your physical therapist will then track your progress and gradually add resistance over time. They can continue to do so until you reach your highest possible level of function.

Find experienced partners for your physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery at Excel PT

Your physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery is going to take a while, so it’s vital that you find an experienced and diligent partner to help you through rehab. Our Excel Sports & Physical Therapy team is ready and willing to partner with you for your entire recovery process. You can begin by getting to know us and preparing your body for surgery with the pre-surgical rehab we offer. We can also help you recover after surgery. Our physical therapists can build you a personalized rehab plan that’s designed to:
- Reduce pain.
- Improve shoulder range of motion.
- Increase your ability to perform normal activities.
- Lower your risk of reinjury.
- Speed up your overall recovery process.
Request an appointment or call us today at Affton, North O’Fallon, St. Louis, Creve Coeur, Ellisville, Saint Peters, O’Fallon, Saint Charles, Warrenton & Wentzville, MO centers.

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November 1, 2021
How much physical therapy do I need after rotator cuff surgery?
Have a torn rotator cuff that isn’t responding to nonsurgical treatments? Then you will probably soon be one of the up to 250,000 Americans who have rotator cuff repair surgery annually.

Fortunately, this type of surgery is generally successful. But it can take some time to recover from. Generally, people who have had a rotator cuff repair require three to six months to get back to doing most of their normal daily activities. How much physical therapy will you have to do after rotator cuff surgery? With the exception of a week to 10 days of immobilization, you’ll likely need to work with a physical therapist during your entire recovery period.

Why does rotator cuff healing take so long?

How much physical therapy you need to do after rotator cuff surgery and how long your recovery process is can vary. Each person is different. However, there are some factors that can affect how long your recovery takes. Some of these factors include your:
- Age — Research shows that people over 65 tend to heal slower than those under 65.
- Tear size — How large your rotator cuff tear is can also affect your healing time. Smaller tears have a better chance of healing swiftly and completely than larger or complete tears.
- Smoking habits — Smoking has been shown to slow the healing of many injuries and surgical repairs, and rotator cuff repairs are no exception. One study reports that smokers had a 15% slower healing rate than nonsmokers after rotator cuff surgery.
How can physical therapists reduce how much physical therapy you need after rotator cuff surgery?

Many factors are up to you when it comes to post-surgical healing. However, there are steps that physical therapists can take that may reduce how much physical therapy you need after rotator cuff surgery. Some of these steps include:
- Working with you before surgery — Doing pre-surgical rehab, or pre-hab, before your rotator cuff repair can be beneficial. It can help reduce your pain and boost shoulder strength. With pre-hab, you can also get a jump-start on your post-surgical rehab, which can help reduce how much physical therapy you need after rotator cuff surgery.
- Creating a unique treatment plan — Your physical therapist will evaluate you when you first start your post-surgical rehab. They will then craft a rehab plan that fits your specific recovery needs and goals. Your plan may include therapeutic exercises, manual therapy and other beneficial PT techniques.
- Reevaluating your treatment plan frequently — Your rehab plan will need to be flexible to offer you the best possible results. That’s why your physical therapist will regularly reevaluate you as your rehab progresses. They can then adjust your plan as necessary.
Continuum Wellness can help shorten your post-surgical rehab

Keen to minimize how much physical therapy you need after rotator cuff surgery? No one understands this motivation better than our Continuum Wellness physical therapists. Our team has extensive experience helping people recover from many types of surgery, and we’re ready to do our part to help you recover from your procedure as quickly and completely as possible.

Contact our team today for more information about our pre- and post-surgical rehab services or to schedule an initial appointment with us.
November 1, 2021
How painful is physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery?
Like more than 5.7 million other Americans, you tore a rotator cuff. In your case, the injury was so severe that you needed surgery to treat it. So, you found a good surgeon and went under the knife. But have you given much thought to what comes after your surgery?

Physical therapy is a commonly used type of post-surgical rehab. However, some people may be wary of going to physical therapy because they’re wondering how painful physical therapy is after rotator cuff surgery. Physical therapists can answer this and other questions you have about your post-rotator cuff surgery physical therapy.

How painful is physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery? Ideally, not very

It’s not uncommon for people to develop pain in their shoulders. From the rotator cuff to the shoulder blade, there are many areas of the shoulder that can become painful. That’s why it’s understandable that many people may ask how painful physical therapy is after rotator cuff surgery. After all, most people don’t want to deal with any more pain that is absolutely necessary.

Fortunately, physical therapists can create individualized post-surgical rehab plans that are designed to reduce your pain. That doesn’t mean that you won’t feel any discomfort while working with your physical therapist. You likely will. Why? You’ll be working with them to restore normal range of motion (ROM) and function to your shoulder. The movements that are designed to help you reach that goal can be uncomfortable.

However, nothing you do during your post-surgical rehab should cause you a significant amount of pain. If something does, you need to stop doing it and let your physical therapist know immediately. This is because excessive pain could be a sign that you have progressed too quickly through your recovery plan. It might also be a sign of a more serious post-surgical complication.

How does physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery work to make your shoulder less painful?

Ideally, your post-surgical rehab will start before your surgery has even taken place. This is known as pre-surgical rehab, or pre-hab, and it’s intended to help prepare your body for surgery. It can also help reduce pre-surgical pain and help shorten your post-surgical recovery.

However, it’s post-surgical rehab we’re talking about here. There are many physical therapy techniques that may be included in your post-surgical recovery plan, including:
- Therapeutic exercises intended to improve shoulder muscle strength and shoulder joint function.
- Joint mobilization where physical therapists use their hands to ease your repaired shoulder through its normal range of motion. This is intended to help stretch repaired soft tissue.
- Soft tissue mobilization that can help break up scar tissue that has formed in your healing shoulder. In turn, breaking up this scar tissue can help improve ROM and reduce pain.
Find effective and gentle physical therapy after rotator cuff surgery at Back in Motion

Not eager to find out how painful physical therapy is after rotator cuff surgery? Our Back in Motion Physical Therapy team understands that completely. Yet we can offer you post-surgical rehab that’s designed to cause as little pain or discomfort as possible. For one thing, our physical therapists design post-surgical rehab plans to fit each patient’s needs. That means we do our best to help you recover at a pace that’s right for you, which can help you avoid added discomfort or pain during your recovery.

Contact us today for more information about how we can help you recover from rotator cuff surgery or to schedule an initial appointment with one of our physical therapists.
November 1, 2021
Three conditions that can lead to back, shoulder and elbow pain
It can be tricky for you to figure out why you’re feeling back, shoulder and elbow pain. There are many issues that can cause these types of pain, and your pain could originate from any of these three locations.

Fortunately, physical therapists can help you discover why you’re feeling a combination of back, shoulder and elbow pain. The reason? These medical professionals are trained to address musculoskeletal disorders, and the source of your pain is likely an issue from this category. In addition, a physical therapist can help you find effective ways to address your pain.

These three issues could be causing your back, shoulder and elbow pain:
1. A herniated cervical disc — The culprit behind your pain might not actually be based in your back, shoulder or elbow. It could be springing from a herniated disc in your neck. This condition occurs when a disc in your neck becomes deformed or torn, and it can commonly lead to cervical nerves being pinched or irritated. As a result of the nerve’s involvement, you might experience symptoms in your neck, shoulder, back and elbow.
1. An injured trapezius muscle — The trapezius muscle is a fan-shaped structure that runs from the base of your skull, into your shoulder and down into your middle back. An injury to this muscle can cause pain to radiate into the shoulder or back. Such injuries may also irritate or pinch a nerve that runs down your arm, which can cause you to feel discomfort in your elbow or even your hand.
1. An entrapped ulnar nerve — You have an ulnar nerve in each arm, and each of these nerves runs from your shoulder to your pinkie finger. Ulnar nerve entrapment occurs when this nerve is pinched at some point along its length. Unfortunately, this can occur fairly easily since the ulnar nerve is located close to the skin’s surface and not protected by other structures. When this nerve is pinched, people often experience:
- Pain that radiates from their shoulder to their hand.
- Numbness or tingling in various areas of the affected arm.
- Weakness in muscle response.
Additionally, some patients may experience pain in the upper back that has been referred from the shoulder.

Find help with your back, shoulder and elbow pain at Peak Performance

Struggling through your day with a combination of back, shoulder and elbow pain? Our Peak Performance Sports & Physical Therapy team is primed to help you address the source of your pain. We can discover the cause by performing a comprehensive free screening on you. Next, our expert clinicians can build you a personalized physical therapy plan intended to reduce your current pain and decrease your chances of future pain.

Contact us today for more information about all the services we offer to help you address pain or to schedule your initial physical therapy appointment.
August 16, 2021
I fell and hurt my shoulder. How can I treat my pain naturally?
If you fell and hurt your shoulder, it can make moving your arm uncomfortable and even painful. Shoulder injuries may inhibit your arm’s range of motion, which can make routine tasks difficult, like driving or just reaching to grab something.

Are you wondering how to help your shoulder after you fell and hurt it? Physical therapy can provide a safe and natural way to manage your shoulder pain and help you recover.

Physical therapy for shoulder pain

There are many different natural techniques used by physical therapists to treat an injured shoulder. If you fell and hurt your shoulder, some effective remedies offered by physical therapists include:
- Therapeutic exercise — Your physical therapist will show you specific exercises that are intended to help your injury. These can help strengthen the muscles around your shoulder, which can reduce the strain on your shoulder joint. This may reduce your pain and help restore your shoulder’s range of motion.
- Soft tissue mobilization — This technique is a hands-on treatment. Soft tissue mobilization can help reduce pain, ease tension and stimulate blood flow to an injured joint like the shoulder.
- Joint mobilization — This technique is a kind of manual therapy as well. Your physical therapist will use their hands to mobilize your joints, like the shoulder. This technique can also be effective in improving your shoulder’s range of motion.
- McKenzie Method^®— The McKenzie Method is based on the steps of assessment, treatment and prevention. Together, these steps may allow the body to repair itself without the use of medications or numerous clinic visits. It may also help you avoid resorting to surgery.
Armor Physical Therapy is prepared to help you recover from a shoulder injury

If you fell and hurt your shoulder, you shouldn’t ignore the pain. Our team at Armor Physical Therapy can help you reduce the pain caused by falling on your shoulder. We can also help restore any lost flexibility in your shoulder caused by your injury. We can build you a personalized treatment plan to help alleviate your shoulder pain.

Contact our team today for more information about how we can treat your shoulder injury or to schedule an initial appointment.
August 4, 2021
Three causes of pain in the upper right part of your shoulder blade
People use their right arms every day to get dressed, drink coffee and more. However, any tasks that you use your right arm for are more difficult when you’re feeling pain in the upper right part of your shoulder near the shoulder blade.

Medical professionals know the shoulder blade as the scapula. There are many structures around this bone that may become painful. Problems with the scapula and its neighbors could be one reason why nearly 15 out of every 1,000 people go to a primary care doctor for help with shoulder pain annually.

Physical therapists can help with pain in the upper right part of your shoulder near your shoulder blade. They can help you determine the cause of your pain. Additionally, these specialists can develop an effective treatment plan for your shoulder pain.

Pain in the upper right part of your shoulder near the shoulder blade could be caused by:
1. Trauma — Tripping and falling can cause you to hit your shoulder on a wall or another hard surface. Objects might also fall onto your shoulder near the shoulder blade. In either case, the trauma to your shoulder can lead to pain, swelling and bruising in your shoulder.
1. Muscle strains — There are several shoulder muscles that attach to your shoulder blade. A strain in one of these muscles can lead to a painful shoulder. Athletes commonly develop shoulder muscle strains from throwing a ball. Swinging a tennis racket or golf club could also lead to this type of injury. However, people who aren’t playing sports can also develop muscle strains from lifting heavy objects and other normal activities.
1. Shoulder osteoarthritis — The glenohumeral joint, or shoulder joint, is the place where the upper arm bone and the shoulder blade meet. This joint is located in the upper right part of your shoulder. Shoulder osteoarthritis occurs when the shoulder joint structures become worn out and inflamed, which triggers pain.
Whatcom PT can help treat your shoulder pain

Feeling pain in the upper right part of your shoulder near the shoulder blade? Our Whatcom Physical Therapy team is eager to help you find ways to decrease your pain. We’ll start by determining the source of your pain with one of our free screenings. Next, our physical therapists will construct a customized treatment plan for you, and this plan will be designed to:
- Reduce acute pain from shoulder injuries.
- Manage chronic condition pain.
- Decrease the chances of future shoulder injuries.
Contact our team today for more information about how we can treat your shoulder pain or to schedule an initial in-person or virtual therapy appointment.
July 19, 2021
What is causing the pain on top of my shoulder bone?
If you experience pain in the shoulder while extending your arm out, or just while moving your arms throughout the day, then you might be suffering from a shoulder injury or condition. There are many different causes behind shoulder pain, but some of them can worsen with time. That’s why it’s important to seek consultation with a professional to diagnose your shoulder pain.

Do you experience pain on top of your shoulder bone? If so, then physical therapy may be an important step toward relieving your symptoms and making a recovery.

Common causes of pain on top of the shoulder bone
- Frozen shoulder — This condition is also known as adhesive capsulitis. Frozen shoulder can occur when the tissue in your shoulder joint becomes thicker over time. This impairs your mobility and is often experienced as pain or discomfort. This condition becomes more common for those over the age of 40.
- Dislocated shoulder — A dislocation of the shoulder occurs when the ball at the top of your arm pops out of the socket. This is usually immediately painful, and caused by a traumatic injury like a fall, sports injury or another kind of accident.
- Rotator cuff conditions — The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that hold your arm and shoulder together. These muscles can be injured or inflamed, like in the case of rotator cuff tendinitis. This can lead to pain and mobility issues affecting the arm.
- Shoulder arthritis — Arthritis refers to an inflammation of the joints. Shoulder arthritis can be extremely painful because the shoulders are responsible for a wide range of motion for our arms.
Armor Physical Therapy is prepared to help manage your pain on top of the shoulder bone

Life with shoulder pain can be frustrating because the shoulders facilitate our arm movement. Our team at Armor Physical Therapy can help you reduce the pain and discomfort caused by shoulder injuries or conditions. Whether you suffer from a torn rotator cuff, frozen shoulder, arthritis or another condition, our expert team can help. We are prepared to build you a personalized treatment plan to help manage your shoulder symptoms.

Contact our team today for more information about how we can treat your shoulder condition or to schedule an initial appointment.
July 12, 2021