Shoulder complaints

Shoulder pain is common and can affect anyone, from overhead athletes to gym-goers and manual workers. The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body, making it vulnerable to injury, particularly during repetitive movements or overhead tasks. Fortunately, most shoulder injuries are treatable, and with the right approach, you can return to doing what you love.

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The shoulder complex

The shoulder is a complex joint made up of four main connections: where the upper arm bone meets the shoulder blade, the collarbone meets the shoulder blade, the collarbone meets the breastbone, and the shoulder blade moves against the ribs.

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It also has many structures that can cause pain, like the four rotator cuff muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fluid-filled sacs called bursae. With a thorough assessment, we can figure out what movements are making your pain worse, which ones help, and where the pain is coming from. This allows us to create a treatment plan that’s specific to your needs.

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Irritable vs Non-Irritable Shoulder Pain

Shoulder pain is typically classified as either:

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• Irritable: This is when the shoulder is painful at rest or is sore for hours after aggravation. In this case, we’ll focus on reducing the pain through strategies such as ice therapy, isometric exercises, mobilisations, and gentle manual therapy to help it become non-irritable. 

 

• Non-Irritable: For non-irritable shoulder pain, you may only feel discomfort during certain movements, but not at rest. In this case, we'll focus on hands-on treatments to reduce the sensitivity in the affected areas of the shoulder. We'll also incorporate strengthening exercises, alongside movements that bring instant relief, which you'll be encouraged to do regularly throughout the day.

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Why Shoulders Get Hurt

Due to the shoulder's wide range of motion, it’s particularly prone to injury. Overhead athletes (like tennis players, swimmers, and gymnasts), manual workers (like painters and electricians), and gym-goers are all at higher risk. While these injuries can be frustrating, they’re rarely as limiting as many people fear. The shoulder has a remarkable ability to recover and strengthen with the right approach.

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How We Help

Shoulder pain can be complex, and we take a personalised approach to understand what’s causing it and how best to help you recover. While in some cases we may refer you for a diagnostic ultrasound to explore the tissues in more detail, it’s important to remember that many rotator cuff tears are found incidentally and don’t always explain the pain. Our focus is on what’s most effective and relevant for you, by addressing the specific activities or motions that cause discomfort and increasing your shoulder's capacity to handle them.

If shoulder pain is affecting your work, sport, or exercise, we’re here to help. Our goal is to get you back to doing the things you love, stronger and pain-free.