Denver's Best Sports Physical Therapy
Shoulder pain can present itself in many ways. Maybe you notice it during normal daily activities like sleeping, carrying groceries, or reaching overhead while cleaning. Do you feel a clicking or sharp pain in your shoulder when doing overhead presses or snatch? Or pinching with overhead throwing or barbell bench press? However your shoulder pain may present itself, it’s no secret that it physically limits your life and sport.
Whether your pain is acute or chronic, UNITE.rehab.perform can help you manage it. If you have been experiencing shoulder pain that’s causing limitations in your daily life, contact us today at our sports physical therapy practice in the Thornton, CO, and Denver metro area! Schedule a complimentary consultation and find out how we can bring you relief without unnecessary surgery or painkillers!
Our physical therapy treatments can help manage or eliminate your shoulder pain, no matter how severe it may be. Physical therapy is safe, non-invasive, and effective. Our Thornton, CO sports physical therapists are licensed and dedicated to designing the best-individualized treatment program for your needs. In fact, many of our clients have reported finding improvement and relief after just a few short physical therapy sessions – and sometimes less!
At UNITE.rehab.perform, we blend physical therapy with sports performance training to give our clients the best results possible. In our practice, the majority of our clients are athletes or fitness enthusiasts who are looking to go beyond traditional goals. Our setup is unique in that we ensure your success back to sport or workouts by providing the seamless transition from rehab to sport while minimizing pain, reducing risk of re-injury, and transforming you into a well-rounded athlete. If you are looking to recover from your current injury and reduce risk of having it happen again, then you have found the right place!
At your initial appointment, you will undergo a comprehensive evaluation to determine the nature of your condition and your goals. This includes a series of specialized tests as well as a total body movement analysis to determine the best treatment program. Range of motion and strength tests may also be conducted in order to discover which of your soft tissues are contributing to your pain.
Once your sports physical therapist has created your treatment program, you will begin working on targeted strengthening and stabilization drills as well as mobility exercises. Strengthening programs may also be implemented as a way to rehabilitate injured muscles or help stabilize a shoulder that is prone to dislocation.
The number of reasons why shoulder pain may develop is vast. However, some of the most common causes for shoulder pain in athletes include:
Tendinitis in the shoulder joint occurs when muscles are being used in an inefficient movement pattern, repeatedly. Over time, inflammation of the muscles builds up and becomes painful. These movement pattern faults and symptoms are exaggerated in overhead movements or when the arm is outstretched from your body. Symptoms may include swelling and painful impingement, or pinching, when raising the affected arm. This typically happens due to the high demands of a sport or pushing movement during exercise, which can cause the tendons to experience ongoing inflammation.
Dislocation of the shoulder occurs when the head of the humerus pops out of place. This type of injury is extremely painful and unfortunately makes you more vulnerable to recurrence after the first dislocation occurs.
If you suspect you have experienced a shoulder dislocation, X-Ray imaging should be performed before beginning physical therapy treatment. If you have a confirmed dislocation, the treating physician will “reduce” it, or put it back in place.
Once the dislocation has been reduced, physical therapy is recommended to improve shoulder stability and prevent it from recurring. This is crucial for athletes and gym-goers who are looking to get back into throwing, overhead movements, and weight-bearing exercises like push ups.
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in the shoulder joint experiences significant “wear and tear,” typically due to age, excessive overuse, previous injuries or surgeries.
While physical therapy cannot change the actual joint surfaces, proper strengthening and stretching exercises have been shown to significantly reduce pain and improve motion. Most importantly, our sports physical therapists teach clients how to modify exercises so that they can continue living a healthy, active lifestyle.
At UNITE.Rehab.Perform Physical Therapy and Sports Performance, our main goals are to help you relieve your pain, improve your strength, and reach your optimum levels of function. If your back pain or sciatica symptoms have been limiting your daily life, contact us today for physical therapy in Thornton, CO, and Denver metro area! We will help you reach your movement and athletic goals so you can get back to working out and sports, pain free from back pain or sciatica.
The shoulder is an extremely complex part of the body. Anatomically, a joint can either be very stable or very mobile. The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body, therefore its stability is greatly sacrificed.
It is a “ball-and-socket joint,” meaning that the humerus (head of the upper arm bone) fits perfectly in the corresponding space within the scapula (shoulder blade). Each end of the bone is protected by a thick layer of cartilage that prevents the bones from rubbing together. The shoulder also contains fluid-filled sacs known as bursae that prevent the tendons from rubbing against the bones.
Your shoulders can accomplish several physical feats due to their structure – reaching overhead, throwing a football 60 yards, holding your bodyweight in a handstand, reaching behind your back clear past your shoulder blades. However, this also means that they are susceptible to an increased risk of injury because of their complexity. If something becomes damaged in the make-up of the shoulders, pain and discomfort can develop. This pain may range from a dull ache to shooting pains, depending on the severity of the condition.
If your pain is stemming from tendon impingement, it will generally occur as you lift your arm, fading before it is raised completely skyward. If your pain is a result of shoulder degeneration, it is likely that you will feel persistent aches every time you move your arm in certain directions. Pain from an acute injury can be sudden and intense, making it difficult for you to move your shoulder at all.
If your shoulder pain is limiting your active lifestyle or stopping you from playing sports, contact UNITE.rehab.perform Physical Therapy and Sports Performance in the Thornton, CO and Denver Metro area as soon as possible to secure your appointment. We will manage and treat your condition so you can comfortably get back to your active life!
Let Denver’s premier team of sports physical therapists and performance coaches lead the way!