Painful Weight of the World on Your Shoulders?

Shoulder Pain makes it feel as if the weight of the world is on your shoulders? That just might be a painful  shoulder labral tear.  Fortunately  it is one of the many injuries/conditions our Move Better PT’s evaluate and treat.

What causes shoulder pain?

Whether or not a shoulder’s instability caused a tear or resulted in one; a labral tear is traditionally painful. Traditionally the shoulder is stiff and does not want to be moved. The shoulder’s labrum, a ring of cartilage found in the shoulder joint, has a primary function of keeping the humorous (upper arm bone) snug inside the joint. When the labrum is torn, the humorous no longer has anything to firmly hold it in place. Because of this, the humorous somewhat “falls out”. When this happens the result is the shoulder becomes unstable and prone to greater injury.

What are the basic types of shoulder tears?

There are two basic types of tears ~ the traumatic tear and the non-traumatic tear. The traumatic tear is often caused by an outstretched arm fall or a profession/activity requiring outstretched repetition. Examples are gymnastics, construction work, swimming, golfing, and tennis. A non-traumatic tear occurs when the shoulder muscles are weak or loose. In these situations the shoulder does’t supply the support the shoulder joint needs. Many times the non-traumatic type of tear occurs in individuals who are hyper-mobile or have a lot of “play” in the joint.

What can you expect from a Move Better PT?

With either type of tear, a Move Better therapist can help. The PT’s will evaluate the condition of the shoulder and then develop a plan specific to one’s needs. Our highly trained PT’s are hands-on and will more than likely do some manual therapy to help decrease the pain level. Strengthening, stretching, and postural exercises is the usual prescription (or a combination) that helps the shoulder try to heal on its own. And in the unfortunate event that surgery becomes a necessity, our therapists will put the shoulder in the best possible condition pre-op to make post-op rehab easier.

Where to get help for shoulder pain?

So in the event your shoulder has stopped, physical therapy is a great place to start — and we may just be able to help take the painful feeling of the weight of the world off of your shoulders.

If we can be of assistance to you, or you desire further information on shoulder labral tears, please contact us.