If you have shoulder pain, you can likely understand how disruptive and uncomfortable it can be. Shoulder pain is one of the most prevalent conditions that cause pain. An estimated 4 million people are affected each year. This type of shoulder pain can be remedied both at home and by medical professionals for short- and long-term relief. To learn more about remedies you can try to achieve both short-term and lasting results from home, read below.
What are some potential causes of shoulder pain?
- Shoulder impingement syndrome — Someone with shoulder impingement syndrome experiences pain and inflammation as a result of their shoulder blade rubbing or pinching their rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is a component of the shoulder that helps you complete movements where you raise your arms over your head. When it becomes inflamed, you can imagine how it might make daily activities harder to complete.
- Overuse — Shoulder pain often comes from overuse during physical activity. Making frequent movements that involve the use of your shoulder muscles and joints without enough rest can lead to injury and pain over time.
- Pinched nerve — A pinched nerve in the shoulder can result from something placing pressure on a nerve in your neck, shoulder and/or arms. It could be due to a bone spur, herniated disc or tissue pressing on the nerve.
- Bursitis — Bursitis is a condition that occurs when some of the bursae that can be found in the shoulders, elbows, hips, knees and feet become inflamed. The bursae can be found in the regions near frequently used joints.
Who’s more at risk for developing shoulder pain?
- Older adults — Shoulder conditions like rotator cuff tears are more likely to occur in people aged 60 or above. With age, the tissue in the body wears down and becomes thin. This can cause pain in areas of the shoulder where tissue has worn down, and the risk of pain is especially high if an injury has occurred in the past.
- Athletes — Athletes who participate in sports that require frequent use of their arms and shoulders are more likely to experience shoulder pain. This is due to overuse injuries. This may include overhead athletes like baseball players, softball players, swimmers, tennis players and golfers. Frequent overhead motions can lead to muscle, ligament, and tendon injury and cause moderate to severe shoulder pain.
- Those in occupations requiring overhead motions — Like those involved in sports with overhead motion, people in occupations requiring frequent overhead motion also have an increased risk of developing shoulder injuries. Painters, construction workers and electricians are just a few types of workers who are likely to experience shoulder pain from repetitive overhead motions.
What are some at-home remedies that can be used to manage shoulder pain?
- Exercise — Getting regular exercise at or near home can help you prevent shoulder pain from occurring again, and can even help remedy the pain you’re already feeling. If overly frequent exercise is the cause of your pain, as is often the case for athletes, you should take care to exercise the areas around the area of pain that support the root of your problem. In general, sustained movement can help prevent and relieve not only shoulder pain, but also a variety of other conditions.
- Ice or heat — Using ice or heat therapy, depending on the type of injury that is causing your shoulder pain, can be an effective and relatively quick at-home remedy for shoulder pain. For injuries that involve swelling, ice can be applied to help reduce the swelling. For pain from tense muscles, heat can be used to help relax the muscles and loosen the soft tissue.
- Virtual physical therapy — Meeting with a physical therapist from home can be a great “at-home remedy” for people hoping to manage their shoulder pain. Therapists can help you identify the source of your shoulder pain and you can follow a collaborative plan to remedy the state of your condition, all without having to leave your home. Virtual physical therapy is arguably one of the more effective solutions for long-term pain relief, compared to ice or heat therapy and stretching. Professional care providers can guide you toward sustainable remedies and relief, rather than just temporary alleviation. To learn about the specific kinds of shoulder conditions that virtual physical therapy can treat, read our related blog post.
Each of these at-home remedies is most effective as part of a more extensively developed treatment plan. By contacting a physical therapist, you can receive help with personalized at-home care that can be carried out from the comfort of your own home. The simplest way to create this type of care plan is to virtually meet with a physical therapist.
If you aren’t sure how virtual physical therapy platforms can serve you specifically, consider the benefits of performing the at-home methods listed above. Now, think about the benefits of these at-home physical therapy methods and many others when they are placed into an all-encompassing care plan for your physical health. If you’re still not convinced, you’d benefit from speaking with a clinician about how your individual needs can be helped.
Why choose Agile Virtual Physical Therapy?
Agile Virtual Physical Therapy can offer more than 400 licensed clinicians. We’re committed to providing effective PT care through our telehealth platform. At Agile Virtual PT, we provide services in 45 U.S. states and free virtual screenings. For more information including our many partnerships, read here.
At Agile Virtual Physical Therapy, we have experienced professionals who are qualified to create a personalized plan with you containing at-home physical therapy exercises customized for your age and fitness level.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.