Shoulder Pain? Here are some Helpful Stretches

By Amy Bates, PTA

If you are experiencing pain and/or a pinching feeling in the top of your shoulder, you may have shoulder impingement. It is a common diagnosis but can lead to more serious problems if left untreated, such as a rotator cuff tear or further inflammation, pain, and inability to properly raise your arm away from your body. 

Patients who have been diagnosed with an impingement usually experience a general stiffness, poor ability to maneuver the arm away from the body, and pain in and around the shoulder joint.

Common Causes of Shoulder Pain

The shoulder joint is made up of three bones, which consist of the humerus, the scapula (shoulder blade), and the clavicle(collar bone). The outer, top edge of the scapula is called the acromion. Sometimes, the connective tissue that sits underthe acromion can become irritated, inflamed, or even torn. This can result in a shoulder impingement diagnosis.
There are several factors that can lead to this tissue becoming inflamed. Poor postural awareness (rounded shoulders andforward head), repetitive reaching/lifting movements, aging, and shoulder injuries are all common factors that can lead toshoulder impingement.
 

Benefits of Physical Therapy for Shoulders

Physical Therapy (PT) can be a tremendous help in restoring range of motion and strengthening the muscles in the back of the shoulder in order to provide improved strength and stability, thus reducing the stress on the connective tissue. 

PT for shoulder impingement usually consists of safe exercises and manual interventions that can assist in decreasing pain and improving overall movement patterns. Your doctor may also provide anti-inflammatories or recommend a steroid injection.

If you are having shoulder pain with no known mechanism of injury, our team of skilled, compassionate physicians along with our physical therapy staff can help you decrease pain and restore maximum mobility. 

Below are some simple exercises and stretches we recommend if you are experiencing this type of pain.