Vague shoulder pain
Joe Grant, PT, ATC, EdM
Do you have shoulder pain, but it is difficult to identify where exactly? "It's kind of around the front part, and also down into my arm, and sometimes my fingers get a tingling sensation." Or sometimes, "It only happens with certain movement, like reaching overhead, behind my back or into the back seat of the car." With such vague symptoms it can be difficult to know what to do to get help.
Shoulder pain may be the result of long hours at a computer or driving, a sedentary lifestyle, orveruse of the shoulder (repetitive stress) or neck and back weakness. Poor posture, muscle imbalances, stiffness and poor range of motion lead to a dysfunctional shoulder. This cuases the long bone of the arm to strain against tissues that are out of alignment creating painful impingements during normal movement. This tightening may also cause excessive pressure on the nerves causing pain or tingling down into the arm or hand. These are functional, dynamic changes to shoulder movement and are difficult to detect on an x-ray.
What can Physical Therapy do to help? Manual therapy and techniques to restore posture can help bring pain free range of motion by increasing flexibility, restoring trunk mobility, and correcting shoulder posture. Results can be immediate as the patient usually feels significant relief after even one treatment. If you are experiencing this kind of shoulder pain, check with your physician and then give us a call at Back To Action PT.
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