Stop It Before It Starts: Simple Tips to Prevent Shoulder Pain
If you’ve ever suffered a shoulder injury, then you know how debilitating it can be. Not only are you experiencing persistent pain, but most shoulder injuries also restrict the range of motion in the joint, making day-to-day tasks — from grabbing a cup off the high shelf to brushing your hair — feel nearly impossible.
At Kleinpeter Physical Therapy, our team of physical therapists will work with you to identify and resolve the underlying causes of your shoulder pain. We offer acute pain relief and can guide you through a complete shoulder rehabilitation regardless of whether or not you require surgery — and often, you can resolve a shoulder injury with physical therapy alone!
But that process can take a while, and we want to help you avoid shoulder injuries, too. While we do incorporate injury prevention information into our rehab programs, it’s never a bad time to start incorporating small changes into your routine that can help prevent shoulder pain.
If you’d like to learn more about how we help prevent and alleviate shoulder pain, call us to schedule an appointment today!
What Causes Shoulder Pain and Injury, Anyway?
Your shoulder is an incredibly complex ball-and-socket joint with several moving parts, including:
- Three separate bones: the humerus (arm bone), scapula (shoulder blade), and clavicle (collarbone)
- Cartilage that wraps and protects these bones from rubbing against each other
- Three main ligaments that connect your shoulder’s bones
- A collection of muscles and tendons known as the rotator cuff that wrap and support the shoulder joint
- Bursae: small fluid-filled sacs that protect your tendons
Damaging any of these structures can lead to shoulder pain, weakness, and immobility. Some people injure their shoulders through sudden, acute injuries, especially if they’re active — a hard fall on the football field could tear your rotator cuff or dislocate the arm bone out of your shoulder socket.
However, many shoulder injuries are actually overuse injuries, meaning the pain and immobility symptoms occur due to repeated micro-injuries in your shoulder’s tissue. Often, sports-related shoulder injuries are actually due to overuse, as repeated overhead motions (such as throwing a ball or certain swimming strokes) put stress on the shoulder joint, leading to symptoms.
Using improper form can also contribute to overuse injuries, as can having improper posture — a weak upper back strains your shoulder muscles, making them do more work than needed.
Preventing shoulder pain is really about preventing these overuse injuries. By making small changes, you can keep your shoulders strong, healthy, and pain-free!
Five Ways You Can Help Prevent Shoulder Pain
1. Strengthen your upper body: Strong upper back and shoulder muscles are better able to provide the shoulder joint with the support and stability it needs, meaning you’ll be less likely to suffer an injury. Not sure how to get started? Our PTs can walk you through some appropriate exercises.
2. Keep your mobility: We can show you simple range of motion exercises that will get the blood flowing to your joints, keeping them healthy. Reaching overhead, across your body, or behind your back are all basic stretches that can do wonders — just make sure you never force a movement!
3. Don’t forget to warm up first: Many popular recreational activities put you at risk for a shoulder injury, including swimming, pickleball, and tennis. It’s crucial that you warm up your shoulder before you dive in. Try some quick cardio paired with active shoulder stretches (like arm circles).
4. Maintain proper posture: Proper posture isn’t about standing up straight all the time; it’s about maintaining postural awareness and keeping your spine in alignment no matter what you’re doing. And if you have a sedentary job, move around regularly. Both habits will help keep your upper back and shoulder strong.
5. Pay attention to ergonomics. If your workspace isn’t shoulder-friendly, you might wind up with an overuse injury. Simple changes — like adjusting the height of your computer monitor or maintaining good posture when using hand tools — will reduce repetitive stress and lower your chances of developing shoulder pain.
Need A Little Help? We’ve Got You
The Kleinpeter Physical Therapy physical therapists can help you prevent shoulder injuries as easily as we can treat them! Whether you’re looking for a shoulder stretch and strengthen routine, postural corrections, or some simple ergonomic adjustments, we’re here for you.
Call us today to get started!
Say Goodbye to Pain – Come Back to PT!
Don’t let your progress stall—come back to Kleinpeter Physical Therapy and keep moving forward on your journey to recovery.
Schedule your next appointment today and let’s reach those goals together!
Healthy Recipe:
Paleo Gluten Free Stuffing
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 small butternut squash, diced
- 2 cups Brussels sprouts, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 apple, sliced and diced into small pieces
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 tsp dried)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Turkey Sausage:
- 1 lb Ground chicken or turkey
- 1 Tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Mix together ingredients for turkey sausage in a large bowl. Add butternut squash and brussels sprouts to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add turkey sausage and break up with a slotted spoon, cooking about 5-7 minutes until just browned. Remove turkey from skillet and add in onions, celery, red pepper and apple, then drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 7-8 minutes until veggies soften. Add turkey sausage back to skillet with other veggies. Add cooked squash and Brussels sprouts. Add that to the skillet along with rosemary and sage and saute another 2-3 minutes, stirring everything very well.
3 Ways to Practice Gratitude
Did you know that being grateful is actually good for your health? It’s true!
We all love Thanksgiving for the excellent food, football, and time spent with family, but truthfully, this holiday means much more. Practicing gratitude can lead to greater happiness all year long.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, “Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”
If you want to implement more gratitude in your own life, take a look at these 3 tips.
1. Write thank you letters
Remember writing thank you letters? How long has it been since you wrote one? You don’t need to have a wedding, graduation, or other big life event to thank the people in your life. Try writing thank you letters to your friends and family for the little things– you’ll be surprised at how good it feels!
2. Write down what you are grateful for everyday
This might sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Take a few minutes each morning or evening to write down at least 3 things that you are grateful for in your life. This repeated action helps us shift into a more positive mindset and can help fight symptoms of depression and anxiety.
3. Use visual reminders
It can be hard to remember to practice gratitude. With your hectic schedule, sometimes it can feel impossible to sit down, take a moment to breathe, and reflect on your blessings. Visual cues can be a great tool for reminding us to take a beat.
Something as simple as sticky notes, a poster, or even your home screen on your phone or laptop can help us remember to slow down and shift to a positive mindset.
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Have you met your annual deductible this year?
Take charge of your health today and make the most of your insurance benefits! If you’ve already met your deductible this year or have funds left in your HSA account, you can take advantage of our remarkable opportunity at Kleinpeter Physical Therapy. Starting now and continuing until the end of 2024, you can address your aches and pains at little to no cost. Don’t let these valuable benefits go unused!
But that’s not all. If you’re looking to enhance your strength and set yourself up for a fantastic 2025, we’ve got you covered. Our exceptional team of experienced physical therapists is here to provide you with specialized treatment services tailored to help you achieve your goals. With our guidance and expertise, you can get a head start on the upcoming year before your deductible renews.
Don’t miss out on this incredible chance to prioritize your well-being and maximize your insurance benefits! Call Kleinpeter Physical Therapy today to start living a happier, healthier life.
Staff Spotlight:
Celebrating Stacey Babin’s 4th Anniversary!
This November, we are thrilled to shine the spotlight on Stacey Babin, PTA, who is celebrating her fourth anniversary with Kleinpeter Physical Therapy! Stacey became a Physical Therapy Assistant because she felt called to serve God and others through this profession. She has been an invaluable part of the Kleinpeter family since the fall of 2020, with a special focus on working with the geriatric population, particularly those with strength and balance deficits.
Stacey earned her Associate of Science in Physical Therapist Assistant Studies, graduating Summa Cum Laude and receiving the Dean’s Bronze Medal from Our Lady of the Lake College in Baton Rouge, LA. She has a primary emphasis on orthopedic injuries and conditions, with a keen interest in fall prevention and balance for her elderly patients.
With over 120 hours of continuing education, Stacey is dedicated to enhancing her skills to provide the best care possible. Outside of her work, she is actively involved in her community as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Isidore Catholic Church.
Stacey is happily married to her childhood sweetheart and is a proud mother to five grown children. In her free time, she enjoys thrift shopping, listening to music, and spending quality moments with her family and pets.
Thank you, Stacey, for your dedication and compassionate care over the past four years. We are proud to have you on our team!
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Our purpose at Kleinpeter Physical Therapy is to leave a greater impact on the community around us. In order to achieve our goal we want to change as many lives as possible as we become a beacon of positivity in our community.
