Shoulder complaints

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in our body. A lot of mobility or great mobility means more instability in a joint at the same time. For this reason, the shoulder joint is sensitive to injuries or susceptible to the development of an imbalance in the muscles of the shoulder girdle. In the case of shoulder complaints, it is therefore important that a good diagnosis is made in time and the complaint is properly addressed to prevent worse.

Development of shoulder complaints

A shoulder complaint can develop acutely after a sudden trauma such as a fall, but can also develop gradually. We list a number of development methods below. You can then click on the link and the pathology or condition will be explained further and you can see what your physiotherapist can do for you in this. Pain complaints of the shoulder can vary from not being able to lie on the shoulder, pain when lifting or reaching, but also a continuous nagging feeling in the shoulder area can be an issue.

Acute complaints

The muscles of the shoulder girdle can be injured during sports. A sharp stabbing pain is characteristic of an acute complaint. The cause of this can again be due to a disturbed mobility in one of the shoulder muscles, such as instability of the shoulder blade. But an abrupt movement can also overload a muscle or tendon and cause an injury.

Sports-related or after a fall/trauma: muscle injury

A muscle injury causes a sharp and often stabbing pain at the time of onset and when loaded. In the case of a muscle injury, it is important to know which muscle(s) are affected. At Cardo Healthcare, we use ultrasound to properly diagnose the muscle involved, the location and extent of the injury and the degree of severity. Our professional team will provide the correct advice and guidance in resuming activities and sports. In the meantime, the recovery will be closely monitored by means of ultrasound and the correct therapy will be tailored to this. In the case of such an injury, additional Shockwave can be applied if this is desirable. Visit shockwaveveldhoven.nl for more information.

Bruising capsule

After a trauma, the shoulder capsule can also be affected in addition to the muscle tissue. Capsule tends to shorten in the event of an acute injury. This is a natural mechanism and is an associated functional mechanism to support recovery. In some cases, this capsule may structurally shorten and a “frozen shoulder” may develop. For this reason, it is important that the shoulder is examined properly, a sound treatment plan is drawn up and that you are further guided during exercise therapy. Shockwave therapy can also offer a solution for capsule shortening. For more information, visit ShockwaveVeldhoven.nl

Shoulder complaints: subacute or chronic complaints

When vague complaints occur that are not continuously present, there may be a dormant overload complaint of muscle or tendon tissue. In severe cases, the bursa can also become inflamed. Not being able to lie on the shoulder while sleeping is often an additional symptom that indicates an inflammation in the tissue.

Wear and tear complaints or osteoarthritis

These complaints limit activities, such as sports, work, but also daily activities such as dressing and self-care. The most common complaints with wear and tear of the shoulder are:

• Pain around the shoulder that worsens with strain such as lifting, reaching, etc.
• Night pain, especially when lying on the affected shoulder.
• Stiffening of the shoulder and loss of mobility above the head, behind the back and turning movements.
• Loss of strength due to weakening of the muscles around the shoulder joint.

Tendon complaints

If there is a suspicion of a tendon injury, diagnostics will first be applied via ultrasound. In addition, exercise therapy and, if necessary, shockwave therapy will be applied. For more information about shockwave and ultrasound diagnostics, we refer you to the website ShockwaveVeldhoven.nl

Long biceps tendon

This tendon runs through a groove and tendon sheath up to the shoulder joint to attach to the shoulder capsule. If the tendon or tendon sheath is thickened or damaged, this causes irritation due to friction and the tendon can become inflamed. This causes local pain at the front of the shoulder head and the shoulder roof and can be provoked by applying pressure to the shoulder head or the groove. There is pain when raising the arm and pain when applying force with the biceps muscle, such as when gripping an object underhand. To determine the extent to which the tendon is affected, ultrasound diagnostics can be used and, if indicated, shockwave.

Frozen shoulder

Medical science is not entirely clear about the exact cause of a frozen shoulder. It is not known exactly what the cause is. There are many theories that can cause a frozen shoulder.

• With an underlying inflammatory process, such as capsule inflammation or bursitis. Often one sees a calcification in one of the tendons around the shoulder joint. This does not necessarily have to be the cause of the frozen shoulder. The capsule in the shoulder slowly thickens and contracts. This makes the mobility in the shoulder joint stiffer and that leads to less mobility.
• A frozen shoulder can also develop after a long-term restriction of movement as a result of a minor trauma, such as a fall.
• A long period of immobilization (for example after bone fractures) or a surgical procedure in the shoulder joint
• Repetitive strain where long-term unilateral actions are performed, for example at work or in sports.

Symptoms of a frozen shoulder

The complaints of a frozen shoulder develop slowly and gradually. The pain is nagging to stabbing pain during movements. In daily life, movements are more limited. Overhead movements, lifting and carrying and even dressing and driving a car can be very limited.

Shoulder instability

Instability complaints are often the result of an imbalance in the rotator cuff, a group of four muscles that provide stability to the shoulder joint. If the balance in the function of these muscles is disturbed and the shoulder blade shows an abnormal position or movement, we speak of scapula dyskinesia. Targeted exercise therapy will be necessary to get these muscles functioning properly again and to address the shoulder complaints.

Bursitis

To understand how bursitis treatment is put together, it is useful to understand what exactly bursitis is and what causes it. A bursa is a small fluid-filled cavity that lies between the muscles and bones and functions as a lubricant and cushion. When you move a muscle, it becomes larger or smaller because the body contracts or relaxes the muscle fiber. However, bones cannot change size. That would be annoying, if it were not for the fact that the bursa ensures that the muscles can move smoothly along the bones. Without a bursa, every movement would be stiff and painful. When inflammation occurs in the bursa, it is called bursitis.

The treatment of bursitis focuses primarily on two goals: pain relief and healing. The two are not necessarily linked, but they do have a positive influence on each other. As the inflammation heals during treatment, the pain subsides. When the pain subsides, it is easy for the patient to use the arm normally again, which promotes the recovery of the bursa.

You can also have your bursitis treated in a different way. This is interesting for those who have had little benefit from the traditional treatment method, but also for those who want to get rid of their inflammation as quickly as possible. Shockwave therapy uses vibrations to tackle the inflammation very precisely. That may sound scary and painful, but shockwave therapy is painless. In practice, the treatment is also a lot less futuristic than it sounds. The shockwave therapist uses a special device that he presses against the inflammation. The vibrations do the rest of the work. Shockwave therapy is not only painless, but also affordable. In addition, the results do not lie. Whether you have been suffering from bursitis for a day or a year, bursitis treatment using shockwave therapy can help you get rid of it easily and quickly. Do you have any questions about this new treatment method? Then contact us. We are happy to help you.

Spine

Sometimes we see that neck complaints can play a role in the development of shoulder complaints. For this reason, it is important to ask about the complaint and to perform a complete physical examination. Including the spine in the examination is done if our physiotherapists have reason to do so, depending on the complaints they indicate.

The most common shoulder complaints are:

• Frozen shoulder
• Shoulder instability
• Tendonitis
• Involvement of the long biceps tendon
• Wear complaints
• Bursitis

Do not continue to walk around with your shoulder complaints and make an appointment in Veldhoven or Waalre!