There are many possible causes of shoulder pain.  Here are the most common causes of shoulder pain and the solutions Old Post Physical Therapy can provide:

Shoulder Joint Problems

Our shoulders consist of 4 different joints.  They are the Gleno-Humeral joint, Acromio-Clavicular joint, Sterno-Clavicular joint, and Scapulo-Thoracic joint.  Any one or all of these joints can become affected by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or can become damaged with trauma or surgery.  All of these conditions can be helped with a proper stretching and strengthening program to preserve the joint as best as possible.

Osteochondral Injuries and Labral Tears

Osteochondral injuries are damage to the cartilage of a joint whereas labral tears are a tearing of the labrum of the Gleno-Humeral joint.  You can have one or both of these problems.  A minor injury can be rehabilitated with an appropriate stretching and strengthening program.  A severe injury may need surgical repair.

Ligament Sprains/Tears

There are several ligaments at each shoulder joint and these ligaments can be torn partially (sprained) or torn completely.  Without ligamentous support our shoulder joints become hyper mobile and this can lead to shoulder subluxations or dislocations.  Some injuries can be rehabilitated with a strengthening program to restore stability in the joint with improved muscular support.  Severe tearing of the ligaments with frequent subluxations or dislocations may need surgical repair.

Muscle Strains/Tears

There are many muscles in the shoulder girdles, many more than just the rotator cuff, that can be partially torn (strained) or completely torn.  Partial tears can be rehabilitated with manual techniques, stretching, and strengthening exercises.  A severe or complete tear may need to be surgically repaired.

Muscle Imbalances

It is common for us to have tight and strong muscles on one aspect of our bodies and weak and loose muscles on the opposite side.  This is common in the shoulder where the pectoralis minor and major as well as other muscles in the front of the shoulder become strong and tight versus the lower trapezius and other muscles on the back of the shoulder become overly lax and weak.  This leads to our shoulders rounding forward and alters the mechanics at the shoulder joints.  This can cause impingement of the shoulder leading to pain and limited range of motion.  At Old Post Physical Therapy we can determine where your muscle imbalances are in your shoulder and with manual techniques, stretching, and strengthening exercises specific to your problems we can restore balance in your shoulder.

Referred Pain From Neck

The neck can also refer pain to the shoulder.  At Old Post Physical Therapy we can determine if your shoulder pain is coming from your neck, shoulder, or both and then design an individualized treatment plan based on our findings.

So if you have shoulder pain and are looking for answers and relief call us at 914-271-2426, email us at oldpostpt@icloud.com, or make an appointment on our website oldpostpt.com.