Shoulder Pain: Why It Happens
Shoulder pain has many different causes and presentations, but the most common area to have shoulder pain is anteriorly, or right in the front of the shoulder. Some of the different causes of anterior shoulder pain could be due to rotator cuff tendinitis, biceps or rotator cuff tendon impingement, biceps tendonitis, or a bicep tear, to name a few.
Most commonly, especially with people that perform repetitive activities daily, suffer from some kind of anterior shoulder impingement that involves tendons of two different muscles, the supraspinatus or proximal bicep tendons that attach on the front of the shoulder.
Pain associated with anterior shoulder impingement most often comes on with any kind of overhead reaching. With this motion the aggravated tendons will get “pinched” which causes further aggravation and pain which decreases the ability to use your arm for daily, work, or sporting activities. This pain leads to limited shoulder range of motion and subsequent decreased strength due to decreased muscle usage from the pain.
So, what now?
If you are experiencing anterior shoulder pain, a Physical Therapist will perform an evaluation and examination, performing different tests and measures to determine the cause of your pain and to develop a treatment plan to improve your symptoms and get you back to doing the activities and sports you love. Most often this treatment involves strengthening the posterior shoulder muscle groups, working on good posture and body mechanics, and using different modalities to help mitigate the pain.
If you or someone you know is suffering from shoulder pain, call us for an appointment today!
Content provided by Amanda Noll, PT, DPT, CSCS
