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Physical Therapy For Shoulder PainRaleigh-Durham, Fayetteville & Surrounding North Carolina Cities

A physical therapist can offer one of the most effective treatments for shoulder pain of all types. It is almost always a step in the recovery process after a shoulder injury or surgery. It is important for the shoulder joint and the shoulder blade to be functioning the right way to avoid pain. Our highly trained physical therapists at BreakThrough Physical Therapy will comprehensively assess your shoulder pain and instruct in a thorough treatment plan to ease your symptoms and restore your normal shoulder function!

Shoulder Pain and Common Causes

Shoulder pain occurs from a variety of causes. The shoulder joint, or glenohumeral joint, is supported by many ligaments, tendons, and muscles. When these structures are damaged, strained, or not working properly, the shoulder joint will not move the correct way. This can cause pain and dysfunction over time. Common diagnoses that physical therapists treat are rotator cuff tears, impingement, shoulder osteoarthritis, labral tears, shoulder dislocations, shoulder replacements, and many more. Each of these problems can happen gradually from overuse or suddenly from an injury.

Exercises to Help with Shoulder Discomfort

Our physical therapists will guide you through a program to provide you shoulder pain relief. This will typically include exercises to restore range of motion in the initial phases of rehabilitation, followed by exercises to activate and strengthen the surrounding muscles of your shoulder including the rotator cuff and muscles that attach to your shoulder blade. Your therapist may add gentle stretching to restore muscle length in the area and recommend modalities like ice and heat application to accelerate the healing process.

When to Seek a Physical Therapist

Anyone who has shoulder pain from an injury or overuse will benefit from seeing a physical therapist, and as early as possible! There is risk in waiting for treatment due to the potential worsening of symptoms, stiffness, and poor motion of the shoulder. If you are having shoulder pain from any cause, even if you do not have a diagnosis, our physical therapists will conduct an examination and guide you through a thorough exercise plan that fits into your schedule.

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Shoulder Pain Treatment Locations

Frequently Asked Questions

  • If we are asking you to do something that is hurting too much, let us know! Physical therapy should not be severely painful. It is not common to be so sore that patients are in pain or it affects their daily life. If this ever happens during or after an appointment, let us know and we will adapt your program.

  • We recommend budgeting 40-60 minutes for a typical therapy session. The only exception to this will be your first visit, which can take about 20 minutes longer due to the physical therapy evaluation your therapist will provide. We also recommend showing up about 10-15 minutes early to your first visit. This way, you can complete the paperwork before your visit time and streamline the process.

  • A physical therapy visit lasts about 40-60 minutes. The actual contents of the visit vary based on your diagnosis/need, but typically what happens is:

    1. You check in with the receptionist, make any appointments necessary, and we discuss your health insurance benefits with you.
    2. You go into the gym. You can change clothes if you need to, then begin therapy.
    3. You perform 6-8 various exercises and stretches. These can include therapeutic band exercises, light body weight exercises, or minimal weights. The stretches will promote strength, stability, improved range of motion, and pain relief.
    4. We can initiate other techniques to include manual work, taping, cupping, and dry needling as needed.
    5. The therapist makes recommendations based on your progress. These can include altering the frequency of visits, making additions/alterations to your home exercise plan, or things to do before your next visit.

  • During your initial evaluation, your therapist may ask you a number of questions to determine what the cause of your pain is. This can include questions about your sleep habits, activity level, and work environment. They will also ask for a medical history, and then typically ask direct questions about where and when you experience pain.

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