Can Physical Therapy Help My Shoulder Pain?

Your shoulder joint does an impressive job of allowing you to perform a wide range of diverse movements, from throwing a Frisbee and reaching above you, to stirring a pot and shaking someone’s hand. That’s because it’s your body’s most flexible joint.

Your shoulder’s many abilities also mean, unfortunately, that it’s at risk for myriad injuries.

Our top priority at Empire Physical Therapy and Athletic Rehabilitation in New York City is to relieve your pain and get you back to enjoying all of your favorite activities again. Billy Reilly, MS, PT, and Paul LaRosa, MS, PT, form a powerful team that always puts you, the patient, first.

We are patient-centered in our approach, no matter what service we provide. We deliver education and personalized care for all types of joint pain, whether it’s the result of a sports or work-related injury, a medical condition, or overuse. 

Common and confounding sources of shoulder pain

We treat many patients who suffer from:

• Rotator cuff tears
• Frozen shoulder syndrome
• Shoulder pain caused by osteoarthritis
• Dislocated shoulder
• Shoulder bursitis (inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs that cushion your joint)
• Shoulder tendonitis (pain and stiffness caused by injury, overuse, or repetitive motion)

We also understand that in addition to being agonizing, persistent shoulder pain puts a major damper on living your life as you want to. You have to curtail activities, and this, of course, lowers your overall quality of life. 

Is physical therapy an effective remedy for my shoulder pain?

We believe physical therapy is key in healing your shoulder, complemented by home treatments like rest, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, and heat therapy. 

Because what led to your shoulder pain is so individual, so is the solution to relieving it. We treat you as an individual, carefully examine you, order imaging tests if needed, and question you in-depth about your history of pain. We want to know if it stems from an injury or a chronic condition like osteoarthritis, and we’re attentive and responsive to all of your questions.

Only after this thorough evaluation can we create a treatment plan just for you. Our recommendations may include:

• Manual physical therapy
• A customized exercise program that you can do in-office at our state-of-the-art gym
• Variable mode electrical stimulation (improves blood circulation, relieves inflammation)
• Ultrasound therapy (electric current waves relieve muscle pain and joint inflammation)

We may also advise that you undergo a functional movement screen, a special test that allows us to learn about your movement patterns and how they may be setting you up for injury. 

Once you’re a patient here, you see the same provider for every visit, so trust and insight around your care plan and progress can develop. 

If you’re suffering from shoulder pain, schedule an appointment by calling our conveniently located Midtown East office in Manhattan or requesting one through our website. As always, we observe all COVID-19 safety protocols when you visit us.