Shoulder Pain
There are a range of common causes of shoulder pain, but the most commonly encountered injuries include rotator cuff tendinitis (impingement), bursitis, and frozen shoulder. Several risk factors for these conditions, including injury or overuse of the shoulder joint, can increase your chances of developing these symptoms.
The four muscles and their tendons that connect the Common Causes of Shoulder Pain blade (scapula) to the top of your arm bone (humerus) are known as your rotator cuff. These tendons help you move your shoulder and keep your arm in the joint socket. They can become irritated due to overuse, or swollen after an injury. The inflammation can cause tenderness, pain, and swelling that makes it hard to comb your hair or get dressed.
The fluid-filled sacs that cushion a joint, called bursae, may also become inflamed when you have shoulder impingement or rotator cuff tendinitis. This can cause the rotator cuff tendons to rub on the bone, or on an inflamed bursa, leading to pain and swelling.
Common Causes of Shoulder Pain
As you get older, your joints lose their protective cartilage and the bones start to grind together. This condition is often associated with arthritis or other conditions, like a rotator cuff tear, infection or inflammation of the joint lining. If left untreated, osteoarthritis can lead to a loss of mobility and pain in your shoulder.
A broken bone can cause severe pain in the shoulder. The most common fractures involve the clavicle (collarbone) or humerus, the arm bone closest to the shoulder. A broken bone can also affect the scapula, which is part of the shoulder blade.
Adhesive capsulitis is another common cause of shoulder pain and stiffness. This condition is caused by a thickening of the tissue in the shoulder and can prevent you from moving your arm (active movement) or even using your hand to brush your hair or comb your teeth.
You can treat the problem by avoiding activities that trigger the painful feelings, adjusting your daily routine, taking anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or paracetamol and performing exercises. If the pain does not improve, your doctor may suggest physical therapy or injection treatments to reduce the inflammation in the joint and relieve the symptoms.
If all else fails, your doctor may suggest keyhole surgery to correct the issue. This procedure is usually done under a general anaesthetic and involves a small cut in your shoulder. The operation is designed to widen the space around the rotator cuff tendon so it doesn’t rub or catch on nearby objects.
A physiotherapist can help with most shoulder problems and will provide a range of strengthening, stretching and other exercise programmes to restore shoulder function. They will also use manual treatments to help ease the pain and tightness in the soft tissues, such as massage or manipulation of the shoulders and arms.
Your physiotherapist will also teach you self-management techniques to help with your shoulder pain and avoid further problems in the future.