Rotator cuff injuries can be very painful and disruptive, or they may be milder at first. Prompt treatment from a physical therapist is often recommended to help your body start healing and prevent the injury from getting worse. Physical therapists use evidence-based, noninvasive treatments that support the body’s natural healing processes. Your treatment plan may include strategies for reducing pain and stiffness, promoting long-term flexibility and range of motion, and rehabilitating the strength and control of your shoulder.
In this article, we’ll share eight ways a physical therapist may support your recovery from a rotator cuff injury.
8 ways a physical therapist may support your recovery from a rotator cuff injury
The best treatments for your rotator cuff injury will depend on the type of injury, its location, its severity and how it affects you. Tendinitis, bursitis and tears in the rotator tendon all require different strategies. Physical therapy can help with issues like pain, stiffness, instability, and impingement or pressure inside the shoulder joint. Your PT will create a multiphase plan to help with each stage of recovery. You may start with therapies to manage pain and swelling, and then gradually start recovering your range of motion and strengthening your shoulder.
Your physical therapist may use the following modalities to treat a torn rotator cuff:
- Manual therapy
- Therapeutic exercise
- Therapeutic stretching
- Dry needling
- Graston Technique®
A physical therapist may support your recovery from a rotator cuff injury in the following ways:
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Reducing pain
Rotator cuff injuries can be particularly painful when pressure builds up inside the joint and the muscles rub against the shoulder blade. This is called shoulder impingement. Whether your pain is from impingement, inflammation or a tear in the tendon, physical therapy may be able to help reduce it naturally. Manual techniques like joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization and trigger point therapy can help relieve pressure and promote healthy circulation in the tissue.
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Promoting fast healing
In addition to reducing pain, proper circulation also helps speed up your body’s healing processes. Fresh, oxygenated blood carries the nutrients you need to clear away bacteria and damaged cells, then repair tissue.
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Promoting the growth of supple and flexible scar tissue
Many people think that physical therapists can “break up” scar tissue, but that’s not exactly what happens. Without the appropriate stretching and strengthening, scar tissue becomes thick and rigid. Physical therapy helps scar tissue form in a way that doesn’t cause as much stiffness, particularly in the first 12 weeks after an injury or surgery. Hands-on techniques like manual therapy or the Graston Technique help reduce protective tension so the muscles aren’t reinforcing stiffness and tension.
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Restoring range of motion
The inflammation response and scarring from a shoulder injury restrict your range of motion. Not using your shoulder during the recovery period also causes your muscles to shorten. Gently stretching the muscles as you strengthen them helps you recover your range of motion and flexibility, which is important for reducing soreness and preventing reinjury.
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Strengthening
Muscles lose their tone quickly when they’re injured and immobilized. Strengthening the muscles that support your shoulder can help relieve shoulder pain and prevent further injury. It also primes your shoulder for long-term stability.
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Proprioception training
Proprioception is your sense of where your body is in relation to your surroundings. These exercises can help improve coordination and control of the shoulder joint.
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Custom planning for at-home care
To care for an injured shoulder at home, you may need to adapt certain daily activities or add new self-care strategies and routines. Your PT can help you break down what you’ll need to do and troubleshoot any challenges. They can help you create a comprehensive plan for pain management and show you exercises to maintain progress between treatments.
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Preventing reinjury
Many of the treatments you receive and the exercises you work on during sessions will help prevent reinjury. Your PT can also help you make lifestyle adjustments to avoid aggravating your shoulder injury again. They’ll gradually reintroduce you to activities of daily living and work tasks that involve your shoulder. If you need a brace or ergonomic equipment to support your shoulder, they’ll show you how to use it.
Find relief from your shoulder injury and start healing at Forever Fit
Most people don’t realize how much they use their shoulders every day until they have an injury. A sore shoulder can get in the way of your work, your time spent with loved ones and your ability to stay active. Physical therapy can support a smoother recovery from a shoulder injury, reducing pain and stiffness in the short and long term.
At Forever Fit, we listen to our patients, and your experience is our top priority. We try to uncover the likely causes of your symptoms so we can find truly effective solutions. We don’t use one-size-fits-all methods, but instead tailor each care plan to the patient’s needs and treatment goals. We can help with general musculoskeletal conditions like shoulder injuries at several locations in Maryland, including Severna Park, Frederick and Gaithersburg. Our Crofton and Bowie locations may not provide dry needling, but they can still help to heal your injury with other approaches.
Ready to sign up for your initial appointment with us? Fill out an appointment request form here or give us a call to set up your appointment.
