Shoulder Pain in Ballwin, MO. If you live with shoulder pain, you know how debilitating it can be. It makes any daily task from watering the flowers to making a breakaway layup frustrating and, for certain people, unfeasible. But pain and limited shoulder movement does not have to be a part of your everyday life. At Axes PT in Ballwin, MO, our licensed physical therapists specialize in tailored treatment modalities, proven to work through research, to get you back to the activities you love most. Allow us to make your shoulder pain an ancient memory. Request an appointment online or call our location most convenient for you.

How Does the Shoulder Work? | Shoulder Pain in Ballwin, MO

The shoulder is among the largest and most intricate joints we have. In actuality, what we call the shoulder joint is made up of four different joints:

1. The glenohumeral (GH) joint is a ball and socket joint where the humerus (upper arm bone) fits into the socket of the glenoid. Given the relatively shallow socket, it is the most mobile joint in the body.
2. The acromioclavicular (AC) joint is formed by the junction of the collarbone the acromion, the bony tip on the outer edge of the scapula. A plane joint, it allows for additional rotation of the shoulder blade.
3. The sternoclavicular (SC) joint is a gliding joint located where the clavicle meets the sternum at the foundation of the neck. As the only joint that connects the arm to the body, it it ensures your arm and body act in tandem.
4. The scapulothoracic (ST) “joint” is more of a “floating” joint as it does not have ligaments connecting it to bone. It is made up of the scapula and its articulation with the ribcage.

In addition to those four joints, the shoulder is made up of:

• the four muscles of the rotator cup that surround the head of the upper arm bone, which power movement and stabilize and protect the glenohumeral joint
• the shoulder capsule, a a fluid-filled sac that surrounds and lubricates the shoulder
• the four shoulder ligaments which help connect bone to bone and help reinforce the capsule
• the biceps tendon and rotator cuff tendons which attach muscle to bone
• the brachial plexus nerves that send motor messages from the brain to muscles and sensory information (like pain) from the joints back to the brain
• the blood vessels that pump nutritious blood to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons

Proper shoulder strength, flexibility, and movement depends on every part of the system functioning well. Sufficient blood must flow to the shoulder efficiently to maintain healthy soft tissue and stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. The muscles strong enough to move and flexible enough to safely make those movements, the tendons connecting them to the bones must be strong, flexible, and free of rips or tears, the ligaments connecting bones need to help support proper structure, and messages most be able to be sent and received between the brain and shoulder. When any one of the parts of the shoulder is damaged, inflamed, or otherwise irritated, it often causes shoulder pain and movement problems. If if shoulder pain or poor shoulder movement is part of your daily life, contact Axes’ physical therapists for a no-risk, no-obligation injury screening.

What Causes Shoulder Pain?

As the shoulder has so many moving parts, shoulder pain can have any of a number of root causes, from sports injuries to falls, a work injury from overuse to our bodies just getting weaker as we get older. Below are the most common underlying conditions that lead to shoulder pain in Ballwin, MO:

• Bursitis — The bursae are small, fluid-filled sacs that work as a cushion and gliding surface between muscles, bones, tendons, and skin. Bursitis occurs when the bursae because inflamed after overuse, often occurs at the same time as irritation of the rotator cuff, and can make basic activities like getting in and out of cars exceedingly difficult.
• Tendinitis — Tendinitis generally occurs because of inflammation or irritation of a tendon. There are two causes of tendinitis:
  • Acute: This can happen because of trauma, excessive throwing, or other overhead activities common in some sports and occupations, such as track and field throwing events or moving objects overhead.
  • Chronic: This can happen because of wear and tear or the body becoming weaker as we get older.

  The condition causes pain and tenderness just outside the joint.

• Rotator Cuff Tear — These can also be acute, such lifting an incredibly heavy object, or more chronic in nature. They usually start with fraying and then tear. People often live with partial thickness tears obliviously. Full-thickness tears, where the tendon is no longer attached whatsoever to the bone, often require surgery. Common symptoms are having difficulty raising your arm or lifting things you normally can, pain when sleeping, and a grinding sensation with specific motions.
• Shoulder Impingement — Impingement is the result of the rotator cuff and bursae rubbing against your shoulder blade. It often occurs in tandem with an injury that causes inflammation in the rotator cuff. Shoulder impingement is most common in people who play sports or are otherwise active.
• Shoulder Instability — This occurs when the ball of the upper arm bone is allowed to move out of the socket when the capsule or ligaments become stretched, torn, or detached, and also can be the result of injury or wear and tear. Dislocations can be repeated and partial or the entire bone coming out of the socket. It often is accompanied by injury to the supporting soft tissue of the shoulder. Long-term instability will result in shoulder pain and unsteadiness when performing certain motions.
• Arthritis — While there are at least six kinds of arthritis, the shoulder most typically experiences osteoarthritis. It is the result of the cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between your bones weakens and wears away. Common causes include tissue weakening as we become older, persistent trauma, and wear and tear. There is no cure for arthritis, but effective pain management is possible with Ballwin, MO physical and occupational therapists.
• Shoulder Fractures — The upper arm bone, collarbone, and scapula are the most commonly broken bones in the shoulder. They are often the result of falling a significant distance or onto a hard surface or high-impact collisions such as a car accident. The shoulder pain is usually significant, along with substantial inflammation and contusions.
• Axillary Nerve Injuries or Brachial Plexus Injuries — Nerve damage in the shoulder can occur when nerves are impinged on, when scar tissue blocks their electric signals, or the nerves rupture. These injuries can cause shoulder pain along with a range of other sensations. They are commonly caused by a sudden blow but can also happen because of degenerative conditions.

At times, one injury leads to another, such as an impingement causing damage to the nerves. If you’re currently suffering from shoulder pain, one of our no-risk, free injury screenings in Ballwin, MO may help determine the root of it. If you’ve sustained a severe injury or have severe shoulder pain, a physician in Ballwin, MO may use a physical examination, various imaging techniques, and/or arthroscopy to discover the cause. For most injuries or conditions that cause shoulder pain, a personalized treatment plan with professional physical therapists that specialize in movement health in Ballwin, MO can be a great way to return to optimal movement health.

Treating Your Shoulder Pain in Ballwin, MO

Your customized and evidence-backed physical therapy may include any one or a variety of different treatment plans:

• Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization to detect and treat any soft tissue disorders
• Pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation, based on a plan with come up with alongside your physician, if you need surgery to relieve your shoulder pain
• Kinesio Taping® to reduce pain and inflammation and allow you to participate in physical activity or work while you are still recovering
• Blood flow restriction training to offer your shoulder a low-intensity exercise with high-intensity results
• Trigger point dry needling to target damaged soft tissue deeper in the body to encourage the body’s natural healing processes
• Posture correction to make sure you do not contribute to your injuries or do not heal correctly
• Injury prevention so you can keep participating in the activities you love
• Other safe, effective exercises to increase and maintain your mobility

Missouri Law requires a prescription to attend physical therapy appointments, so it’s important to speak to your Ballwin, MO primary care physician to see if physical therapy is rights for your shoulder pain. Our licensed physical and occupational therapists are responsible and work closely with your primary care physician to ensure you are getting the care that fits into your overall treatment plan.

Other services we offer in Ballwin, MO include:

• Dry Needling Near Me
• Tendonitis Treatment
• Manual Physical Therapy
• Orthopedic Rehab Near Me
• Beginner Running Program
• Chronic Pain Treatment
• Spine Specialist Near Me
• MCL Injury
• Injury Prevention

Ballwin, MO Shoulder Pain | Axes Physical Therapy

Optimal movement health is important to not only living our every day life, but to doing the things we love. At Axes, we focus on patient results for our Ballwin, MO clients by developing evidence-backed treatment plans catered to your injury, pain level, age, and the activities you want to get back to. You do not have to delay in getting back to the activities you love and a pain-free life. Schedule an appointment through our website or find our location most convenient for you.