Strengthen Your Shoulder Pain Away

With 17 different muscles that attach to the scapula (shoulder blade)—not to mention all the tendons, ligaments, cartilage, fluid-filled sac, nerves and bones—the shoulder joint is one of the most complex in the human body. With so many different components working together in such a small space, it’s not always possible to pinpoint exactly what is causing pain and dysfunction.

Let’s say you’ve tried icing, resting, stretching, foam rolling, maybe even several sessions of massage therapy—but you’re still not getting any long-term relief. What gives? Chances are somewhere in the shoulder joint you may have muscle weakness, which could include one or more one of the tiny muscles that make up the rotator cuff.

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons (4 to be exact) that surround the shoulder joint, keeping the head of the upper arm (aka the humorous bone) firmly within the shallow socket of the shoulder.

Dysfunction and damage to the rotator cuff muscles can occur with trauma, repetitive movements, age, and muscle imbalances. Symptoms can include: recurring pain, grating or cracking sounds when moving your arm, limited mobility, and muscle weakness.

If you think you may have a rotator cuff injury, it is always the best idea to first see your doctor, get some imaging, and perhaps even try a bout of physical therapy.

You may also want to consider incorporating some rotator cuff strengthening exercises into your daily routine to see if it makes a difference in your overall pain and mobility.

Here’s a direct link to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons’ Rotator Cuff and Shoulder Conditioning Program.

Here, you’ll find a downloadable PDF with an entire program of 18 different rotator cuff and shoulder strengthening exercises. There are also photographs, recommended repetitions, and tips to help you along the way. They recommend giving the program a good “4-6 weeks, unless otherwise specified by your doctor or physical therapist.”

A doctor can help rule out an injury that requires surgery, and a physical therapist can provide a more customized list of exercises while correcting your form in real-time as well as . The above program is still worth considering, and could help provide more information as to what’s happening in your own body as you work the program.

Disclaimer: if you experience any sharp pain or a certain exercise doesn’t feel right in your body, you should discontinue.

When it comes to shoulder pain, massage therapy and proper stretching can be a big piece of the puzzle, but if you’re not also working on stengthening, you’re going to have limited results improving your pain.

The easy part is knowing that something isn’t quite right with your shoulder. The hard part is owning the time commitment, intention, consistency, and dedication required to see improvement. We hope this program helps!

Click here if you’d like to learn how massage therapy can help you on your journey toward finding relief from shoulder pain.