Shoulder Tendinitis: Causes, Symptoms, and How Physical Therapy Can Help

We use our shoulder muscles and tendons to do a lot.

Reaching, lifting, throwing, and more – it’s all thanks to your shoulders.

When we overuse or overextend our shoulder muscles and tendons, it can cause them to be inflamed and irritated.

This can lead to shoulder pain and reduced mobility.

Shoulder tendinitis is a commonly occurring issue that many people experience due to a wide variety of reasons.

If you’re experiencing shoulder tendonitis and are looking for a treatment solution, physical therapy can help.

At Capitol Physical Therapy, our physical therapists in Washington DC will work with you to address your shoulder pain and provide physical therapy solutions to help manage your symptoms and get you back to your normal activities.

In this article, we’re going to be taking a closer look at what shoulder tendinitis is, how it’s caused, and how it can be treated with physical therapy.

What Is Shoulder Tendinitis?

Shoulder tendinitis is also known as rotator cuff tendinitis.

The rotator cuff refers to the muscles and tendons that help stabilize your shoulder joint and enable you to move your arm.

There are 4 groups of muscles that attach your upper arm bone, or humerus, to your scapula, or shoulder blade.

You use these muscles to help move, stabilize, rotate, and raise your upper arms.

These muscles are attached to your bones with tendons, which are bundles of connective fibers.

Shoulder tendinitis occurs when these tendons become inflamed and irritated.

What Causes Shoulder Tendinitis?

Shoulder tendinitis is typically the result of overusing or overexerting your shoulder muscles and tendons or performing repetitive arm movements.

Some other potential causes of shoulder tendinitis can include:

• Performing overhead shoulder motions
• Tight muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint
• Structural abnormalities in the shoulder that can pinch tendons
• Weakness or imbalances in the shoulder muscles
• Age related degradation of the muscles or tendons
• Poor posture, such as rounded shoulders
• Injury, either through sudden movement or direct impact

Whatever the cause of your shoulder tendonitis, physical therapy can help you manage your symptoms and increase your mobility.

How Do You Know If You Have Shoulder Tendinitis?

The main symptom of shoulder tendinitis is experiencing shoulder pain.

Depending on the cause, pain can occur suddenly or gradually build up over time.

You may feel pain and tenderness in the shoulder, and occasionally in the upper arm.

This pain may feel duller when at rest but will feel more severe when performing particular shoulder movements.

Movements can include things like lifting, reaching, throwing, swimming, or any overhead activities.

Another symptom you may experience is swelling or a warm sensation in the shoulder area.

Additionally, you may experience weakness in the shoulder and have limited range of motion when moving your arm in certain directions.

Pain can actually worsen at night, particularly if you’re lying on the affected shoulder or when rolling over.

How Can Physical Therapy For Shoulder Tendinitis Help?

Now that we have a clear understanding of what shoulder tendonitis is, its causes, and how it can impact you, let’s take a look at how physical therapy can help.

It’s a good idea to speak to a physical therapist as soon as you begin to feel shoulder pain.

If left untreated, shoulder tendonitis may cause pain to radiate to your neck and other surrounding areas.

It can also cause the affected tendon to tear over time, which can lead to more serious complications.

RELATED ARTICLE: Physical Therapy For Rotator Cuff Tears

Depending on the cause and severity of your shoulder tendinitis, your physical therapist will work with you to devise a tailored treatment plan for your specific issues and goals.

Keep reading to learn about some of the specific ways in which physical therapy can help with shoulder tendinitis.

1. By Helping To Manage Pain

As we’ve already mentioned, the primary symptom of shoulder tendinitis is pain.

Physical therapy can help you manage your pain by identifying what kind of movements cause pain, as well as providing you with techniques and strategies for pain management.

Avoiding painful movements can provide your affected tendon with the time it needs to heal.

Additionally, heat and cold therapy and soft tissue manipulation can help you manage your pain as your tendon heals.

Your physical therapist may recommend other options as well.

2. By Building Your Shoulder Strength

Depending on the cause and severity of your shoulder tendonitis, your physical therapist will work with you to rebuild your shoulder strength.

They’ll assess how your shoulder is affected and determine the right strengthening exercises for you.

This can include strengthening your muscles using:

• Weight training
• Resistance training
• Medicine ball exercises

These strength training exercises don’t just stop after your physical therapy sessions and treatment.

Your physical therapist will design an at home strength training program to help you continue strengthening and maintaining your shoulder health even after completing your physical therapy.

3. By Improving Your Range Of Motion

Aside from pain, shoulder tendonitis can also cause you to experience a reduced or limited range of motion.

Physical therapy aims to teach you stretching techniques and exercise to increase your shoulder mobility.

This can help you increase your range of motion and allow you to carry out daily activities, such as reaching and lifting, without experiencing pain.

4. By Helping You Get Back To Your Previous Activities

The aim of physical therapy for shoulder tendonitis is to help manage your symptoms and help you get back to doing your previous daily activities.

Physical therapy can help you slowly get back to these functional levels of movement.

Your physical therapist may incorporate functional training into your treatment plan to achieve this.

This can include things like lifting and placing light objects on a high shelf, or throwing a ball.

The idea is to do these low impact exercises while focusing on proper shoulder mechanics.

This can help build strength and increase mobility, ultimately helping you return to your previous activities and physical function levels.

5. By Helping You Prevent It From Happening Again

Another aspect of physical therapy for shoulder tendonitis is to teach you how to prevent it from recurring.

This starts with patient education in regards to posture, properly performing physical movements, and altering some lifestyle habits to alleviate risk.

Since shoulder tendinitis can be a repetitive strain injury, your physical therapist can help you recognize what repetitive movements can lead to pain and shoulder tendinitis.

Knowing what movements put you at risk and what symptoms to look for can allow you to modify your activity and prevent injury.

To maintain posture and keep your muscles, tendons, and joints healthy, it’s recommended to stretch daily as well as maintain your strength through daily activity and strength training.

By being aware of what can cause shoulder tendonitis and taking the proper precautions, you can prevent it from happening again.

Book Your Appointment With Our Physical Therapy Clinic Today

Are you experiencing shoulder pain and are facing challenges with painful movements and reduced range of motion?

It may be an indication of shoulder tendonitis.

Shoulder tendinitis can significantly interfere with your daily life, from simple tasks like reaching or lifting to more active movements like throwing or swimming.

Left untreated, it can lead to chronic pain and even more serious injuries.

Fortunately, physical therapy offers a safe, effective way to reduce pain, improve mobility, and strengthen your shoulder.

At Capitol Physical Therapy, our team of physical therapists will work with you to determine the cause of your shoulder pain and devise a tailored treatment plan to help manage your symptoms and get you back to your regular activities.

Book your appointment with Capitol Physical Therapy today and take the first step toward lasting shoulder relief.