Stability & Mobility
- Posted on: Sep 24 2019
Stability and Mobility: A Recipe for Happy Shoulders
“Shoulder pain” is one of the most commonly treated orthopedic injuries in the United States. When referring to the shoulder, it is important to remember that “the shoulder” is actually made up of three joints. This structure of three joints, along with tendons and ligaments, allows the shoulder to be the most mobile joint (series of joints) in the body. It also opens the shoulder up to a multitude of injuries.
Some of the most commonly treated shoulder injuries include the following: rotator cuff injuries (tear, strain, tendonitis, etc.), bursitis, impingement, and frozen shoulder. Many of these injuries are caused by chronic shoulder instability and lead to a lack of mobility in the shoulder complex, making everyday tasks such as washing, dressing, and reaching overhead difficult and often painful.
How does physical therapy play a role?
Physical therapists assist in the assessment, examination, and diagnosis of shoulder injuries. Through assessment and examination, a physical therapist can determine muscular imbalances and range of motion deficits that are leading to dysfunction and pain. Your physical therapist will provide you with a home exercise program that could include some of the exercises referenced below in the AAOS conditioning program, as well as more advanced stabilization exercise performed in the clinic under the supervision of your therapist.
https://www.boneandjointburden.org/2014-report/ixba1/self-reported-musculoskeletal-conditions
https://www.boneandjointburden.org/2014-report/via22/musculoskeletal-injuries-type-age-and-sex
https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/shoulder-impingementrotator-cuff-tendinitis
https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/recovery/rotator-cuff-and-shoulder-conditioning-program/
Rear view of a professional male soccer player from waist upwards, wearing a red shirt and white shorts with his arms spread wide in celebration after scored a goal. The player is standing in a generic outdoor floodlit football stadium full of spectators under a dramatic evening sky during sunset.
Posted in: Physical Therapy
