The shoulder
One of the most common problems with the shoulder is inflammation of the tendons at the top of the joint. This is known as impingement syndrome. These tendons can also be torn and this will cause quite severe shoulder pain.
Another common shoulder problem is frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). This occurs when the soft tissues around the joint become inflamed and contract limiting the movement and producing pain.
Arthritis of the shoulder joint is relatively rare but wear and tear changes in the joint between the collar bone and shoulder blade are quite common.
Symptoms
Pain felt on the outside of the shoulder particularly with movements of the arm out to the side.
This is a common impingement/ tendon symptom. Frozen shoulder will restrict movement, reaching above head height can be difficult.
A grating sensation can be felt with arthritis, this is often accompanied with pain.
Treatment
A lot of shoulder problems can be as a result of an imbalance in the muscles around the joint. Re-addressing this balance by doing the correct strengthening exercises can help with conditions such as impingement syndrome. With frozen shoulder, a stretching programme to re-establish the length of the soft tissues around the joint is the key to treatment here. Sometimes ultrasound therapy or an injection is also required.
Some shoulder problems are caused by poor posture and correction of trunk posture as well as shoulder girdle posture is an essential part of the rehabilitation.
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