Shoulder Pain

Do you suffer from shoulder pain?

The team at Watsonia Physiotherapy offers a range treatments for shoulder pain, whether this is a chronic condition or a new injury at our clinic in Watsonia, just north-east of Melbourne’s CBD. Painful shoulders are quite common and can significantly limit your upper body movement, negatively impacting your day to day life.

Reduced movement and pain in your shoulder are often caused by injuries to the shoulder joint, muscles, tendons, ligaments or cartilage. Apart from pain, you might not be able to lift your arm more than 100 degrees from your side (not far above shoulder level) and you can’t turn your arm outward more than 30 degrees.

Common causes of shoulder pain include arthritis, torn cartilage, torn or strained rotator cuff, swollen tendons, bone spurs, pinched nerves, vertebral dysfunction, broken shoulder or frozen shoulder.

How do we treat shoulder pain?

Our physiotherapists are highly qualified and have successfully treated thousands of clients suffering from shoulder pain. In order to determine the cause of your pain, our physiotherapist will conduct a full physical, orthopaedic and neurological examination of your shoulder, cervical and thoracic spine.

You will be asked to perform a range of movements and strength tests, because the combination of where you feel the pain and your limited shoulder movements, helps us to identify the cause of your shoulder pain. It may also be necessary for you to undergo specialised diagnostic tests such as X-rays, Ultrasounds and/or MRI scans.

Our initial objective is to relieve your pain and any inflammation in the joint. We often recommend ice-packs in the early days of your treatment, because they can be more beneficial than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Once we have diagnosed the cause of your shoulder pain, we design a treatment plan that’s tailored to your specific needs.

This treatment plan will include a range of motion and shoulder strengthening exercises initially, followed by rehabilitation exercises during your recovery.

If you suffer from shoulder pain, call us on 03 9434 3088, send us an email or book online to arrange an assessment.