Are you currently suffering from shoulder pain? It’s one of the greatest mysteries of being 50+; the sudden onset of shoulder pain and stiffness that often creeps up without any warning or explanation.
Sometimes it just happens! I’ve had a number of patients come to see us, saying things like…
“I just woke up one morning with a pain in my neck and shoulders. I thought it would go away by now, but it’s really starting to annoy me!
Or…
“At first my shoulder felt stiff when I woke up. I didn’t think much of it at the time, like with any other aches and pains they typically ease off after a few days. Now my shoulder has become tight and it’s interfering with my day. I can barely reach for my seatbelt or my wallet in my back pocket without feeling pain and stiffness.
And because it can happen without warning, people typically try a number of options before deciding to come to see a physical therapist, such as…
- Painkillers
- Rest and time
- Relaxing spa-style massages
Do any of these ‘solutions’ sound familiar?
Here’s why NONE of them ever work in the long run:
Painkillers
The thing with painkillers is that they might ease the pain for an hour or so, but all the Advil and anti-inflammatory tablets do is mask the pain. They never get to the root cause of your aches and pains.
When painkillers wear off and you go to grab another two, the problem is still there. You’re left feeling frustrated with very tight muscles and a stiff shoulder.
They DON’T solve the problem, they only cover it up.
Rest and Time For Your Shoulder Pain
It’s common to think that resting your shoulder will fix the problem because this seemed to work as a kid, or even as a young adult. But the thing is… that’s not you anymore. With time and even MORE rest, your muscles become tighter and your joints become stiffer.
Just like if you left your car sitting in the driveway for a few months. When you try driving it again, it’s unlikely that it’ll drive smooth right away.
Your joints and muscles are designed to move, and your body gets stronger the more you keep it active.
And that’s why it’s crucial that you get your shoulder joints moving to reduce any stiffness. This will help it feel more relaxed so that you can really begin to move again without pain. It helps to know specific movements to do and how often to do them, prescribed specifically for your case.
Relaxing, Spa-style Massages for Shoulder Pain
As amazing as they feel these types of massages will never work. Sure, you’ll feel better for a few hours, maybe even a day or two. But it comes back. So you return to the spa again and this time sign up for a membership because it “will help you save money”.
Fast forward 6 months and you have a bank full of massages you haven’t used so you start asking friends to take some off of your hands… Sound familiar? ‘Cause I’ve heard it before.
Now it’s not the therapist’s fault at all. Those types of massage therapists aren’t trained to get to the root cause of your problem. The pressure applied to your muscles won’t ever be quite right.
And when they tell you that they can feel ‘knots’ in your shoulders- every person over the age of 45 has knots and tension in their shoulder muscles (in fact most people do regardless of age!). But it’s not always an issue or even the source of your pain.
Watch this video for ways to relieve tension in your shoulder and neck.
This is where we can help you.
We don’t recommend popping painkillers if your pain isn’t gone after 5 days.
We’ll give you personalized exercises and stretches that will be done safely when we know you’re ready for them. This is coupled with hands-on therapy done by experts trained to know precisely where, when, and how much pressure to apply to the problem area.
We want to help you get back to being active and on the go as quickly as possible.
If you’d like to know ways to put a stop to annoying, daily, irritating shoulder pain, click here to download your free report:
Dr, Nick’s greatest passion is seeing his patients recover from injury and return to their activities that bring them joy.
- Overcoming Shoulder Pain from Sleeping: Your Guide to Comfortable Rest - March 4, 2024
- 5 Essential Knee Stretches to Enhance Your Joint Mobility - February 2, 2024
- 5 Benefits of Shockwave Therapy: Your Path to Freedom from Lower Back Pain - January 23, 2024
You Might Also Like...
-
March 15, 2020 -
August 5, 2019 -
July 17, 2018
