PAINFUL SHOULDER: WHAT IS IT AND ITS TREATMENT

DEFINITION

It is a functional deficit of the shoulder called omalgia, painful shoulder and scapular humeral periarthritis. Tendonitis of the rotator cuff is a pathology due to overuse (repetitive movement) that causes pain and disability in the shoulder and upper arm. It is often called "impingement" or bursitis.

ORIGIN

The vast majority of the time, the painful shoulder can be framed in:

• Pain due to irradiation, of neurological, vascular, cardiological or intestinal origin.
• Pains of articular and periarticular origin, including bursitis, tendinous pathologies (tendonitis and ruptures) and capsulitis.

CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS

Causes of this ailment can be jobs that require constant movements over the shoulder (signer, vinyler, painter, glazier, ...) or racquet sports (paddle, tennis), lifting weights, ...

Long sports workouts or repeated physical movements muscle-tendon groups can become inflamed. The result is: acute or chronic pain, local sensitivity and inability to

perform movements with the affected shoulder (dressing, driving, lifting things over the shoulder, ...).

TREATMENT

What we are looking for with the treatment is to reduce the inflammation and later to distend and strengthen the muscles that make up the rotator cuff. Inflammation is usually controlled with rest, ice and oral medication (anti-inflammatories).

It is essential to reduce, avoid or modify the activity that has generated the ailment (decrease physical activity, avoid the type of movements that cause us pain, swim less distances or avoid service on the head in tennis).

Once the inflammation has been controlled, your physiotherapy doctor in Dwarka will probably prescribe a stretching and strengthening program. At the beginning of the strengthening program, the application of ice on the shoulder after the exercises may be helpful. Stretching exercises are performed before strength exercises to warm and distend the cuff muscles.

Physiotherapist in Dwarka advises to moderate the training sessions and schedule adequate rest periods between them to prevent tendonitis.

The preheating and stretching exercises and strength exercises are also components of prevention. Paying immediate attention to pain in the shoulder and upper arm during training or after a session can prevent a chronic problem. The treatment of symptoms in the shoulder should be started as soon as they start.

STRETCHING EXERCISES

Stretching 1

Bring the affected member's hand to the opposite shoulder. Advance the shoulder slightly. You will experience a slight stretch in the affected shoulder.

Exercise 1

With your hand holding a dumbbell (thumb down), raise the extended arm to a 45º angle or as far as pain allows.

Stretch 2

Place the affected arm on the head, with the elbow facing upwards, with the hand extended toward the back of the opposite shoulder. Slowly bring your elbow bent back. 

Exercise 2

This exercise can be done standing with a rubber band, or lying on the painful side with weights (see the drawing below). Begin with several repetitions of slow movements and progress with more weight or tension of the rubber.

Stretch 3

Bring the hand of the affected arm to the opposite shoulder. Advance the shoulder slightly. You should experience a certain stretch in the affected shoulder.

Exercise 3

Lie on a table with your elbow on the edge and your hand hanging, with a weight in your hand. Raise the weight parallel to the floor to the level of the table or head (keeping the back flat, without arching it). Raise the elbow towards the ceiling so that the shoulder blades are approached. Start with a small weight and increase progressively. Remember: the exercise must be slow and controlled. 

With this type of exercise and stretching, you may feel some discomfort, but you should not feel pain. These methods can work on their own or require the complementary use of physiotherapy in Dwarka (ultrasound, electrical stimulation, etc.). The surgical solution to the problem is usually posed, if the treatment described is unsuccessful.