Shoulder Pain in New Town, MO. If you live with shoulder pain, you know how hard it can be to manage. It can make everything from watering the flowers to making a breakaway layup painful and, sometimes, unfeasible. But pain and limited shoulder movement is usually manageable and beatable with safe and effective treatment. At Axes Physical Therapy in New Town, MO, our professional physical therapists create personalized treatment modalities, proven to work through research, to get you back to the activities you love most. Allow us to safely and effectively treat your shoulder pain. Schedule an appointment online or reach out to the location nearest you.

How Does the Shoulder Work? | Shoulder Pain in New Town, MO

The shoulder is one of the the largest and most intricate joints we have. In reality, it is a multiplex of four joints:

1. The glenohumeral (GH) joint is the joint responsible for connecting the upper extremity to the trunk. Because the top of the upper arm bone is 3-4 times larger than the socket, it is the most mobile joint in the body.
2. The acromioclavicular (AC) joint connects the clavicle to the acromion, the bony tip on the outer edge of the shoulder blade. A gliding joint, it allows you to outstretch your arm.
3. The sternoclavicular (SC) joint is a plane-style synovial joint formed by the collarbone the sternum at the bottom of the neck. As the only joint that connects the arm to the body, it it ensures your arm and body act in coordination.
4. The scapulothoracic (ST) “joint” is more of a “floating” joint as it does not have typical joint characteristics. It is made up of the scapula and its articulation with the ribcage.

The shoulder is supported and surrounded by:

• the four muscles of the rotator cup that surround the head of the humerus, which power movement and stabilize and protect the GH joint
• the shoulder capsule, a a fluid-filled sac that surrounds and lubricates the joints in the shoulder
• the ligaments of the shoulder which help connect bone to bone and help reinforce the capsule
• the tendons in the biceps and shoulder which allow muscles to power the bones
• the brachial plexus nerves that allow the brain to tell the shoulder and arm to move and the shoulder to tell the brain when it feels pain or other sensory information
• the arteries that supply nutritious blood to the shoulder

Being able to move your shoulder pain free 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 recovery processes. The muscles strong enough to move and flexible enough to safely make those movements, the tendons connecting them to the bones must be intact and strong, the ligaments that attach our bones need to help support proper structure, and messages most be able to be sent and received between the brain and shoulder. When any of these functions are not being carried out in a healthy way, it can lead to a disruption of the entire network, and anywhere from nagging to severe shoulder pain or loss of function. If if shoulder pain or poor shoulder movement is part of your daily life, reach out to Axes’ physical therapists for a free injury screening.

What Causes Shoulder Pain?

Shoulder pain can be caused by numerous different circumstances, from sports injuries to falls, a work injury from repeated activities to our bodies just getting weaker as we get older. The following are common causes of shoulder pain that our physical and occupations therapists see in New Town, MO:

• Bursitis — The bursae are small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion bones, tendons, and muscles in and around your joints. Bursitis the result of the bursae becoming swollen after overuse, often occurs at the same time as rotator cuff tendinitis, and can make daily activities like laying down to go to sleep tremendously difficult.
• Tendinitis — Tendinitis generally occurs because of a tendon becoming irritated. It typically falls into one of two categories:
  • Acute: This can happen because of trauma, repeated overhead motions, or other overhead activities needed in some sports and fields of employment, such as track and field throwing events or lifting and lowering boxes.
  • Chronic: The result of degenerative conditions or general weakness as we get weaker.

  The condition causes pain and tenderness just outside the joint.

• Rotator Cuff Tear — These can also be acute, such falling on an outstretched arm, or repetitive movements or old age. They begin with fraying and ultimately tear. A partial tear often goes unnoticed. Full-thickness tears, where the tendon is no longer attached whatsoever to the bone, do not heal by themselves. Associated symptoms are having difficulty raising your arm or lifting things you normally can, pain when sleeping, and a grinding sensation when performing certain movements.
• Shoulder Impingement — Impingement occurs when your acromion (outer edge of your shoulder blade) pinches the soft tissue in your shoulder. It is often the result of rotator cuff swellings after an injury. Shoulder impingement is most common in people who play sports or are otherwise active.
• Shoulder Instability — This occurs when the humerus is allowed to move out of the socket when the capsule or ligaments become stretched, torn, or detached, and also can happen suddenly or from 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 surrounding areas of the shoulder. Long-term instability will result in shoulder pain and a sense of the shoulder “giving way.”
• Arthritis — While arthritis refers to a range of diagnoses, osteoarthritis is the condition that typically affects the shoulder. Osteoarthritis is the degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bones. Common causes include tissue weakening as we become older, repeated injuries, and overuse. There is no cure for arthritis, but you can find effective pain management techniques with New Town, MO physical therapists.
• Shoulder Fractures — The humerus, collarbone, and shoulder blade are the most commonly broken bones in the shoulder. They usually happen as the result of falling from a height or high-energy collisions such as a car accident. The shoulder pain is usually intense, and the shoulder will experience considerable swelling and bruising.
• Axillary Nerve Injuries or Brachial Plexus Injuries — Nerve damage in the shoulder can occur when nerves are stretched, when scar tissue interferes with their electric signals, or the nerves are otherwise damaged. These injuries can cause shoulder pain, stingers, numbness, and loss of feeling in your shoulder, arm, or hand. They are commonly caused by a sudden blow but can also occur because of overuse.

Sometimes, injuries are connected, for example how an untreated rotator cuff tear can lead to arthritis. If you’re experiencing shoulder pain, one of our no-obligation, free injury screenings in New Town, MO may help you discover the underlying cause. To diagnose shoulder pain a physician in New Town, MO may use a physical examination, various imaging techniques, and/or arthroscopy. Most people who experience shoulder pain can find relief with a customized treatment plan with licensed physical therapists that are experts in movement health in New Town, MO can be an effective way to get you back to the things you love to do the most.

How Do New Town, MO Physical Therapists Treat Shoulder Pain?

Your personalized 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 problems with your muscles, ligaments, or tendons
• Pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation, coordinated together with your surgeon, if you need surgery to relieve your shoulder pain
• Kinesio Taping® to provide support for your shoulder and keep you safe as you participate in sports or work while you are still recovering
• Blood flow restriction training to improve strength while reducing overall stress on the shoulder
• Trigger point dry needling to attack damaged soft tissue deeper in the body to encourage the body’s natural healing processes
• Posture correction to ensure you are not inadvertently causing your shoulder pain or heal improperly
• Injury prevention so you can keep participating in the activities you love
• Other safe, effective treatment methods to increase and maintain your mobility

Missouri Revised Statute §334.506 stipulates that you need a prescription to attend physical therapy appointments, so you need to reach out to your New Town, MO doctor to see if physical therapy is rights for your shoulder pain. Our experienced physical and occupational therapists work alongside your primary care physician to ensure you are getting the care that fits into your overall treatment plan.

Other services we offer in New Town, MO include:

• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

New Town, MO Shoulder Pain | Axes Physical Therapy

Optimal movement health is essential to not only carrying out daily tasks with ease, but to doing the things we love. At Axes, we focus on patient results for New Town, MO residents by creating evidence-backed treatment plans catered to your injury, pain level, age, and how physically active you need to be. You do not have to delay in getting back to the things you love doing most and a pain-free life. Schedule an appointment through our website or reach out to our location nearest you.