Shoulder Pain Physiotherapy
Does this sound familiar?
My shoulder hurts when I raise my arm
I can't raise my arm overhead
I can't pick up my child
It hurts to sleep on my shoulder
I can't throw a ball
It hurts to push and pull
I can't lift weights
Shoulders can be a tricky area to treat — there are so many considerations. There are 17 muscles that attach to the shoulder blade alone, and many more that support the shoulder joint itself. You need a guide who can help you navigate all of this and understand exactly which exercises you need. Our clinic helps narrow down the exercises you absolutely need, so you can get better in a timely manner.
Conditions We Treat
Here are some conditions we treat at Break Free Physiotherapy:
Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain
Shoulder impingement
Repetitive shoulder strain injuries
Rotator cuff tears
Shoulder bursitis
Frozen shoulder
Shoulder instability and labral tears
Shoulder dislocations
Shoulder arthritis
AC joint injuries
Post-surgical shoulder rehabilitation
Shoulder pain from poor posture or desk work
Shoulder pain during pregnancy or postpartum
Thoracic outlet syndrome
Our Approach to Shoulder Pain
We look at every injury through an investigative lens, rather than chasing pain by treating symptoms alone. The better we understand what's actually driving your injury, the better we can equip you to manage it yourself — which means less reliance on us long-term, and more confidence in your own body moving forward.
We'll often ask questions to understand whether there's a connection between your spine and your shoulder — and we have a specific way to check if the two are related.
Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (also known as the McKenzie Method) is used at Break Free to help us diagnose and classify your condition. By listening to your history, we're able to accurately pinpoint where we think the problem may lie. Your examination will help us figure out whether your shoulder joint, the muscles around it, or the nerves are what's causing your injury.
We will move your spine and shoulder joint in a specific direction repeatedly to help us look for patterns. These patterns help us understand the cause of your injury and allow us to accurately give you targeted stretches or exercises to help you move better. Instead of giving generic exercises for a specific condition, we make sure the movements we give you are tailored to your body's needs.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
We'll start by taking a detailed history to understand when your injury started and what makes it worse or better, asking clarifying questions along the way to get a full picture before we begin the assessment. We then complete a hands-on examination to check the range of motion and strength of your shoulder. With your permission, we'll also screen your neck and upper back to rule out whether they're contributing to your shoulder symptoms.
We'll then walk you through what your condition is, roughly how many visits and how long recovery may take, and give you specific movements or exercises to take home with you.
Does Physiotherapy Help Shoulder Pain?
Yes, physiotherapy can be the first line of defence for most injuries. Whether your shoulder pain is recent or something you've dealt with for years, your physiotherapist will help you understand the potential causes of your pain and how you can change or modify what you do in daily life to relieve it and get back to doing what you love.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does shoulder pain physiotherapy take?
It depends on your injury. Muscular or tendon-related shoulder issues often start improving within a matter of weeks, while more chronic injuries — ones that have been around for months or years — typically take longer to resolve. If your shoulder pain is coming mostly from your spine, a rapid change in your very first session is actually a great sign, and tends to indicate a more favourable prognosis and quicker recovery.
Do I need a referral or imaging before starting?
No! It's a common myth that you need imaging or a referral for physiotherapy. Your physiotherapist is trained to use special tests to determine what structure in your shoulder could be injured, or whether your spine is contributing to your injury.
Can physiotherapy help frozen shoulder?
Yes, absolutely! Surgery isn't usually where surgeons want to go with a frozen shoulder — physiotherapy is genuinely the first line of defence to help you maintain motion and get you back to function.
Why does my shoulder still hurt after rotator cuff exercises didn't work elsewhere?
Did your physiotherapist check your spine? Did they assess exactly which muscles were weak, or did they just hand you 5 generic exercises? Are you the one going on the internet and trying the top 3 exercises for shoulder pain? You may need a real assessment to understand what's actually happening in your shoulder.
Struggling to Move Your Shoulder?
It's time to see a professional to find out what the source of your problem could be. See one of our skilled physiotherapists trained in MDT to properly classify your injury and give you the right exercises for your body. No more cookie-cutter exercises, TENS units, and heat pads. Let us help you with your healing journey today.
Book Your Assessment: http://breakfreephysio.janeapp.com/