Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is an amazing piece of biomechanical design and is the most mobile joint in the human body – unfortunately sometimes we ask too much of it and this can cause shoulder problems and injuries. Normal function of the shoulder is essential for everyday life and activities such as reaching above your head, lifting objects and even just brushing your hair. 

Here at ThreeSpires Physiotherapy we provide a home visit physiotherapy service to help with shoulder problems and related conditions. We are based in Lichfield and provide physiotherapy to surrounding areas such as Tamworth, Sutton Coldfield, Walsall, Cannock and Rugeley.

To arrange an appointment about your shoulder call us on 0788 428 1623, email us at enquiries@threespiresphysiotherapy.co.uk or alternatively use the contact form

How can ThreeSpires Physiotherapy help me with my shoulder?

A physio will come to your home at a time and day of your choosing – avoiding the need to take time off work, attempt to finish early or struggle out of the house if your pain is extremely severe.

A full subjective assessment (discussion with your physio) will be conducted of your lifestyle, past medical history, symptoms, aggravating factors, nature of the condition and any predisposing factors in order to gain a full picture of your shoulder pain and the likely causes.

A comprehensive physical examination of your posture, strength, range of movement at the shoulders, neck, elbow and bio-mechanics will then take place. This will enable us to identify and diagnose the underlying cause of your shoulder problem and develop an effective treatment plan to alleviate your pain and assist you in returning to full fitness.

Treatment options during the session may include, joint mobilisation, deep tissue massage,  stretching, trigger point release, myofascial release techniques, soft tissue release, proprioceptive neuro-muscular facilitation. The appropriate combination of treatment options will be chosen by your therapist and tailored to provide maximum relief for your shoulder pain.

Self management is a key part of recovering from any shoulder injury and your physio will provide you with an individualised rehabilitation program that is tailored to meet your requirements and goals. Elements included in this program will be: a graded strengthening and exercise program, stretching exercises and postural management strategies to avoid a reoccurrence of your shoulder problem.

What causes shoulder pain?

Due to its complexity and amazing mobility the shoulder is prone to a number of common injuries:

Shoulder Impingement – is the most common cause of shoulder pain and occurs when the rotator cuff tendons get pinched underneath the scapular (shoulder blade) as they extend towards the head of the humerus (top of the shoulder). It is often referred to as swimmers or throwers shoulder as it is common in people who repetitively move their arms above their shoulders. It is also regularly found in manual workers such as painters and decorators who spend a long time with arms moving continuously over their shoulder height. It can be caused by poor shoulder stability, weakness of the rotator cuff muscles, bony spurs and sometimes by trauma from a fall. Common symptoms are pain in the shoulder when lifting your arms above your head and difficulty sleeping/lying on it.

Frozen shoulder - also known as adhesive capsulitis is an inflammation and irritation of the tissues that surround the shoulder joint. It causes pain, stiffness and a reduced range of movement. In some cases it can prevent the shoulder moving altogether and is slightly more common in women than men. Frozen shoulder often occurs with no explanation but is linked to factors such as shoulder surgery, trauma (a fall), age (it is most common between 40 – 60 yrs), diabetes and thyroid problems.

Rotator cuff injury – the rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles and their tendons that help stabilise the shoulder and keep the head of the humerus in the socket of the joint. People who repetitively move their arms overhead such as labourers, manual workers, painters and decorators are particularly prone to rotator cuff injuries. Symptoms of a rotator cuff injury include pain on lifting the arm, pain on the outside of the shoulder and sometimes difficulty sleeping on the affected arm.

Referred Pain – sometimes pain in the shoulder region is actually caused by a dysfunction in another area. This is called referred pain and requires that the area with actual dysfunction be treated rather than the area where symptoms are presenting. Neck problems such as a nerve root being compressed or neural tension can sometimes refer pain into the shoulder.

AC Joint – the acromioclavicular joint is the small bump on the top of your shoulder where the clavicle (collar bone) meets the acromion process of the scapula (end of the shoulder blade). This can be injured by trauma (falling over and putting your hand out) or may be injured through overuse in a sport. It presents as pain and stiffness over the top of the shoulder and can cause difficulty in sleeping on that side.

So if you have shoulder problems, want to speed up your recovery and would like home visit physiotherapy, then get in touch to arrange an appointment. We provide physiotherapy at home in Lichfield, Tamworth, Rugeley, Sutton Coldfield, Walsall and Cannock.

To arrange an appointment about your shoulder call us on 0788 428 1623, email us at enquiries@threespiresphysiotherapy.co.uk or alternatively use the contact form