Evidence-Based Shoulder Pain Relief Is Within Your Reach!
Do Not Live With Shoulder Pain Any Longer
Did you know that shoulder pain affects nearly 25% of adults in the United States? This pain can profoundly impact your day-to-day life, interfering with your ability to complete job tasks, participate in your favorite sports, get dressed or take care of the household. Fortunately, the physical therapists at St. Pete Physical Therapy in St. Petersburg, FL offer a wealth of scientifically proven solutions.
In addition to pain deep in your shoulder joint, you might notice other symptoms, too, including the following:
- Shoulder and arm weakness
- Stiffness or a tight feeling in and around the shoulder
- Increasing neck pain
- Limited mobility and reduced range of motion
- Difficulty with specific movements, such as reaching, lifting, and carrying objects
- Sleep interference
We know you want to function at peak performance and not be hindered by limitations brought on by shoulder pain. That’s why our evidence-based approach to physical therapy focuses on addressing your impairments so you can see results as quickly and safely as possible.
When you come in for treatment, we won’t just look at your shoulder but at your entire upper extremity, upper and lower spine, and hips to make sure we understand the exact cause of your condition. We’ll then provide a personalized treatment plan to eliminate pain at the source.
To accomplish this goal, our Doctors of Physical Therapy use proven techniques to reduce pain and inflammation, increase mobility in the shoulder’s joint and soft tissue, and strengthen the muscles throughout the entire shoulder, arm, and core. We can also provide education on proper posture, ergonomics, and mechanics to prevent future injuries and ensure long-term success.
You don’t have to live with shoulder pain. Schedule an appointment at St. Pete Physical Therapy in St. Petersburg, FL today to start seeing results!
What are Some of the Common Causes of Shoulder Pain?
Shoulder pain has several potential causes, with rotator cuff injuries being the most common–around 2 million people in the United States are affected each year. However, labral tears, bursitis, tendinopathy, and arthritis are also common culprits.
Understanding what’s causing your shoulder pain is the first step toward alleviating it. The experts at St. Pete Physical Therapy will identify and understand the source of your pain so you can more easily see the results you’re looking for.
Here’s a bit more information about each of the common conditions that can create shoulder pain and discomfort:
- Rotator cuff injuries – The rotator cuff refers to a group of muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint. Injuries to the rotator cuff, including a rotator cuff tear, can occur due to overuse, repetitive movements, or trauma and cause pain, weakness, and limited range of motion.
- Tendinopathy: This term describes any condition that affects the tendons, the thick tissues that connect muscles to bones. Tendonitis and tendinosis are the two most common of these conditions. Both cause pain and/or limited mobility.
Both tendonitis and tendinosis occur due to overuse or injury. However, tendonitis causes tendon inflammation, whereas tendinosis causes the tissue to degenerate, gradually breaking down or tearing over time. - Bursitis – Bursitis refers to inflammation of the bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that helps cushion the shoulder joint. It can lead to pain and swelling around the affected area. One of the most common complaints of bursitis is difficulty with overhead movements and activities, such as lying on the affected shoulder.
- Osteoarthritis – Osteoarthritis is a painful condition that causes the cartilage in your shoulder joint to deteriorate. In most cases, it has no known cause, although some people develop it after an injury, while others may develop it due to genetic factors. Regardless of how it starts, it can lead to pain, inflammation, and cartilage loss.
- Rheumatoid arthritis – This form of arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to target the membranes surrounding the shoulder joint. This can result in discomfort and inflammation, making it difficult to perform daily activities.
- Frozen Shoulder – Also known as “adhesive capsulitis”, frozen is characterized by pain and gradually increasing loss of range of motion. This can severely restrict your ability to use the affected shoulder and arm in daily activities, work, hobbies and sleep.
- Labral Tears – The ring of cartilage surrounding your shoulder joint is called the labrum. A labrum tear is when part of this cartilage is disrupted, frayed or torn. A shoulder labral tear can cause pain, weakness, the feeling of an unstable shoulder joint, “popping” or “catching” of the shoulder with movement. Tears can occur from overuse, repetitive overhead use, sports requiring you to frequently raise your arm above your head or due to a fall.
Whether your shoulder pain is caused by one of these conditions–or something else entirely–the team of physical therapists at St. Pete Physical Therapy in St. Petersburg, FL is here to offer scientifically-backed treatment solutions.
We want to see you achieve your mobility goals and regain your everyday function. Call or text us at 727-490-9487 today to say goodbye to shoulder pain!
How Our Experts Will Relieve Your Shoulder Pain
At your first appointment, our physical therapists will begin by conducting a detailed physical exam, taking your complete medical history, and learning more about your symptoms and impairments. Our physical exams go in-depth, testing your range of motion, strength, and movement, and more.
Why? Because for you to see results, we need to pinpoint the source of your pain and develop a customized treatment plan that addresses your specific needs. While treatment plans will vary based on the condition or injury causing your pain, you can expect us to incorporate one or more of the following evidence-based techniques:
- Exercise: Therapeutic exercises are vital to managing and alleviating shoulder pain. We’ll provide a personalized exercise program with targeted movements designed to improve your shoulder’s range of motion, strength, and function. We’ll also help you track your progress over time, increasing the intensity so you see improvements.
- Manual therapy: Manual therapy consists of several hands-on treatments focused on restoring joint and soft tissue mobility, such as joint mobilization, soft tissue manipulation, and myofascial release. Because it can also help reduce pain, manual therapy is ideal for those who cannot tolerate active exercise yet.
- Modalities: Modalities are various drug-free pain relief options, such as hot and cold therapy, electrical stimulation, and more. Depending on the condition causing your pain, modalities can help reduce pain and inflammation and prepare your body for other treatments.
No matter what lies at the root of your shoulder pain, the physical therapists at St. Pete Physical Therapy will develop a treatment program that gets you results. By reducing your pain and improving your shoulder’s functionality, you can return to your favorite sports and activities.
Request an appointment at our St. Petersburg, FL physical therapy clinic to say goodbye to shoulder pain!
Achieve Your Goals With St. Pete Physical Therapy
I was devastated when I suffered a shoulder labrum tear. However, Jan’s expertise and guidance helped me get back to the gym and lifting pain-free. I not only recovered from my injury but also improved my form and prevented future injuries.
Makayla helped me tremendously with my shoulder/bicep injury. I can’t thank her and the staff here enough. From lot being able to hang from a bar or do a push up so doing easy multiple sets of both had me ecstatic. Thanks again to Makayla!
Highly recommend St. Pete Physical Therapy! I came here after a volleyball injury to my shoulder. Dr. Jen has given me a progressive rehab plan to work back toward playing again, and returning to the gym. All the therapists are knowledgeable and welcoming. If you are looking to get stronger and rehab your injuries, this is the place.
Incredible practice. Helped me recover from a chronic shoulder injury. Felt the best I’ve felt in 4+ years. Entire team is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what they do!
Would highly recommend. I did a lot of research on physical therapy options in the area, and this place consistently stood out above the rest. I wasn’t looking for a clinic where the ultimate goal was simply being able to lift a gallon of milk—I wanted to stay active, and their sports/athletics focused approach was exactly what I needed.
After being a patient for several months, they have met every expectation. The entire practice has a great energy and a real family feel. I’ve worked with Makayla both before and after surgery and really appreciate her practical, detailed approach. I’ve also spent time with Patrick for traditional PT, as well as dry needling and cupping, which were incredibly helpful for a nontraditional recovery.
I would feel completely confident seeing any PT at St. Pete Physical Therapy. And last, but definitely not least, my schedule has been chaotic, yet Stacy and the team have continually worked with me to ensure I stay on track with my goals. Stacy is super responsive and great at coordinating everything.
Your Next Steps…
Request An Appointment
Receive A Custom Treatment Plan
Work Hard and Progress In Your Recovery
Recover & Enjoy Life Pain-Free!