Physical Therapy in Arvada for Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder injury is a very broad topic that covers many different diagnoses from a simple shoulder impingement to a rotator cuff surgical repair. We treat all shoulder injuries here at Arvada Sport and Spine Group with a sports medicine approach so physical therapy to rehab a shoulder injury here involves not just looking at the shoulder joint, but looking at how the entire body works together as one unit.

The shoulder is comprised of many joints, but I like to break it down into the two basic joints that can be problematic and most commonly worked on in physical therapy. The glenohumeral joint is where the humerus (arm bone) fits into the glenoid (on the scapula or shoulder blade). The scapulothoracic joint is where the scapula connects to the back of the ribcage on the thorax. These two joints have to work in perfect unison in order to prevent injury to the soft tissue surrounding them.

Although there is always the possibility of an unexpected injury during a fall, collision, or sporting event, many shoulder injuries are the result of repetitive overuse and ultimately, poor posture. Weak scapular muscles in the upper and middle back, and tight muscles in the front of the body reinforce a poor posture that places the shoulder joints on added stress. A big proponent of physical therapy is not just rehab from injuries, but prevention of future injuries or worsening of a present condition. Physical therapy for shoulder injuries involves fixing poor posture by retraining the body to be in a better, upright position. By retraining posture, the shoulder blades sit back a little further and give the shoulder joint "more room to breathe."

There is a lot of "traffic" in the shoulder with tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and nerves all crossing paths with one another in a tight space. This is why physical therapy is so important for these injuries. The shoulder is a very mobile joint, meaning it can move in many directions. With that extra mobility unfortunately comes a general lack of stability. Physical therapists are the experts at correcting this imbalance in many people's shoulders.

Whether you are dealing with rotator cuff tendonitis, shoulder impingement, a labrum (SLAP) tear, or any other type of shoulder injury, physical therapy is the first place to go to take care of your injury. At Arvada Sport and Spine Group, we have the right tools and a sports medicine approach that can get your shoulder back to normal as quickly as possible.