Shoulder Pain Treatment Geelong
Shoulder pain stopping you from working, training or doing the things you enjoy?
Shoulder pain can make everything from reaching overhead and getting dressed to sleeping, working or exercising uncomfortable.
At The Manx Myo, I provide personalised Myotherapy assessment and treatment for people experiencing shoulder pain, stiffness, weakness or restricted movement.
Your appointment starts with understanding what's been happening, how your shoulder is affecting you and what you want to get back to doing.
From there, we'll assess your shoulder and develop a treatment and rehabilitation plan tailored to you.
What does shoulder pain feel like?
Shoulder problems can present differently from person to person.
You might experience:
Pain when lifting your arm
Pain reaching overhead or behind your back
Pain around the front, side or back of the shoulder
Pain extending into the upper arm
Difficulty sleeping on the affected side
Shoulder stiffness or restricted movement
Weakness during lifting or exercise
Pain during gym exercises such as pressing
Symptoms during swimming, throwing or other overhead activities
A shoulder that has become gradually more painful or stiff over time
Shoulder pain can have many potential contributors, which is why your treatment starts with an individual assessment.
What causes shoulder pain?
There's not always one simple cause.
Shoulder pain can be associated with a range of presentations involving the muscles, tendons, joints and other structures around the shoulder.
These may include:
Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain
Rotator cuff injuries
Tendon-related pain
Frozen shoulder
Osteoarthritis
Previous shoulder injuries
Symptoms associated with the neck
Changes in training or activity
Repetitive or demanding work
Sudden injuries such as falls
Sometimes there isn't one specific structure responsible for someone's symptoms.
Rather than simply trying to find a single "root cause", I'll look at your individual presentation and identify factors that may be contributing to your pain and loss of function.
How can Myotherapy help with shoulder pain?
Myotherapy can form part of the management of musculoskeletal shoulder pain.
Your appointment may combine assessment, hands-on treatment, education and targeted exercise depending on your individual presentation.
Assessment
We'll look at relevant shoulder movement, strength and function and discuss the activities that are currently aggravating your symptoms.
Hands-on treatment
Massage and other soft tissue techniques may be incorporated to help manage muscular pain, sensitivity and stiffness.
Dry needling
Dry needling may be used where appropriate as one component of your treatment.
It's not necessary for everybody and will only be used after discussing it with you.
Joint mobilisation
Manual joint mobilisation techniques may be incorporated where appropriate to help address stiffness and movement restrictions.
Exercise rehabilitation
Exercise is often an important part of managing shoulder pain.
Where appropriate, I'll provide targeted exercises based on your current capacity and what you're trying to return to.
This might involve gradually building shoulder strength, improving tolerance to particular movements or preparing you for the demands of work, the gym or sport.
Have I damaged my rotator cuff?
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and their tendons that help control and stabilise the shoulder.
Rotator cuff-related problems are a common reason people experience shoulder pain.
Symptoms can include pain when lifting the arm, pain at night, weakness and difficulty with certain movements.
However, experiencing shoulder pain doesn't automatically mean you've torn your rotator cuff.
Assessment can help determine what may be contributing to your symptoms and whether further investigation is appropriate.
Should I stop using my shoulder if it hurts?
Not necessarily.
It can be tempting to completely avoid movements that cause discomfort, but this isn't always required.
Depending on your presentation, we may temporarily modify certain activities while continuing with movements you're comfortable performing.
For someone who trains in the gym, that might mean adjusting a particular press or exercise rather than stopping all upper-body training.
For someone with a physically demanding job, we may look at ways of modifying aggravating tasks while gradually rebuilding the shoulder's capacity.
The aim is generally to find what you can do and progressively work from there.
What about shoulder bursitis?
"Bursitis" is a term commonly used when discussing shoulder pain, particularly following an ultrasound.
A bursa is a small fluid-filled structure found around the shoulder.
While changes involving the bursa may be seen on imaging, your scan is only one part of the overall clinical picture.
Your symptoms, movement, strength, function and goals are also important when determining an appropriate management plan.
Rather than simply treating a scan result, I'll assess how your shoulder is actually behaving and how it's affecting you.
What is frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder — also known as adhesive capsulitis — is a condition that can cause significant shoulder pain and progressively restricted movement.
People often notice increasing difficulty with activities such as reaching overhead, putting on a jacket or reaching behind their back.
Frozen shoulder can behave differently from other common shoulder presentations and may take considerable time to improve.
If your presentation appears consistent with frozen shoulder, we'll discuss appropriate management and whether further medical assessment may be useful.
Do I need an MRI or ultrasound for shoulder pain?
Not everybody with shoulder pain needs imaging.
In many cases, a clinical assessment can provide enough information to begin an appropriate management plan.
Imaging may be useful in particular situations, such as following significant trauma or where the findings are likely to influence management.
If you've already had an X-ray, ultrasound or MRI, you're welcome to bring your report to your appointment and we can discuss it in the context of your symptoms and assessment.
If I think further investigation is appropriate, I'll recommend discussing this with your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.
What happens at your first appointment?
We'll start by discussing:
Where you're experiencing pain
When your symptoms started
Which movements aggravate your shoulder
Any previous shoulder or neck problems
Your work and daily activities
Your exercise or training
How your shoulder affects your sleep
What you'd like to get back to doing
Where appropriate, I'll then assess your shoulder movement, strength and function.
We'll discuss what we've found and develop an appropriate treatment plan.
Depending on your presentation, your session may include hands-on treatment, dry needling, joint mobilisation and targeted exercise.
Before you leave, you'll have a clearer understanding of what we're working on and what you can do between appointments.
Shoulder pain in active people
Shoulder pain can be particularly frustrating when it starts interfering with training.
You may notice symptoms with:
Bench pressing
Overhead pressing
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Swimming
Throwing
Racquet sports
Cycling
Other upper-body training
Pain doesn't automatically mean you need to stop exercising completely.
We can look at which movements are currently aggravating your symptoms, what you can continue doing comfortably and how we can gradually rebuild your capacity.
The aim is to help you return to the activities that matter to you rather than simply avoiding them.
When should shoulder pain receive medical assessment?
Most shoulder pain isn't caused by a serious medical problem.
However, further medical assessment may be appropriate if:
Your shoulder pain started after a significant fall or accident
Your shoulder appears deformed
You're suddenly unable to use or move your arm
You have significant or rapidly increasing swelling
You have persistent or worsening pain that isn't improving
You have fever, night sweats or unexplained weight loss alongside your symptoms
You develop significant numbness, weakness or other concerning symptoms
Shoulder or arm pain can occasionally be associated with a medical emergency rather than a musculoskeletal problem.
If shoulder or arm pain occurs alongside chest pain or tightness, difficulty breathing, sweating, nausea or other symptoms concerning for a heart problem, seek urgent medical attention.
If I'm concerned about your presentation during your assessment, I'll recommend appropriate further medical assessment.
Why choose The Manx Myo?
Hi, I'm Tom Black, owner and Myotherapist at The Manx Myo.
I've worked in manual therapy for more than 13 years, helping people manage musculoskeletal pain and get back to the activities they enjoy.
Before becoming a therapist, I competed internationally as a cyclist and represented the Isle of Man at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
My approach combines thorough assessment, hands-on treatment and targeted exercise rather than relying on one treatment technique or a one-size-fits-all approach.
Whether you want to get back to the gym, return to sport, work comfortably or simply use your shoulder with more confidence, your treatment will be built around your individual goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can massage help shoulder pain?
Hands-on treatment may be useful for managing muscular pain, sensitivity or stiffness for some people.
However, massage isn't automatically the entire treatment plan.
Depending on your presentation, treatment may also involve education, movement and progressive strengthening.
Can dry needling help shoulder pain?
Dry needling may be incorporated where appropriate to help manage associated muscular pain or sensitivity.
It's one treatment option rather than a stand-alone solution and isn't necessary for everyone with shoulder pain.
Should I stretch a painful shoulder?
It depends on your presentation.
Some people may benefit from gradually working on movement, while repeatedly forcing a painful shoulder into aggressive stretches may not be appropriate.
I'll recommend exercises based on how your shoulder presents rather than automatically prescribing stretching.
Can I still go to the gym with shoulder pain?
Often, yes.
You may need to temporarily modify certain exercises, loads or ranges of movement depending on your symptoms.
We'll look at what you can currently tolerate and work towards gradually returning to your normal training.
How many appointments will I need?
There's no predetermined number.
It depends on your presentation, how long you've experienced symptoms, your goals and how your shoulder responds to treatment and rehabilitation.
We'll review your progress and adjust the plan accordingly.
Do rotator cuff tears always require surgery?
No.
The significance of a rotator cuff tear depends on factors including the type and extent of the tear, your symptoms, function, age, activity level and how the injury occurred.
Many shoulder presentations are initially managed without surgery, while some injuries require specialist assessment.
If your presentation warrants further investigation, I'll recommend the appropriate next step.
Shoulder Pain Treatment in Geelong
The Manx Myo provides Myotherapy assessment and treatment for shoulder pain from 27 Melbourne Road, Drumcondra, just minutes from Geelong CBD.
Whether your shoulder pain is affecting work, sleep, everyday activities, the gym or sport, we'll assess your individual presentation and develop an appropriate plan around your goals.
The Manx Myo
27 Melbourne Road
Drumcondra VIC 3215
Inside Empowered Health Chiropractic
Ready to get your shoulder moving again?
You don't need to know exactly what's causing your shoulder pain before booking.
If shoulder pain, stiffness or weakness is getting in the way of work, exercise or everyday life, we can assess what's happening and develop a plan based around you.