Shoulder injuries are common in many populations including athletes, sportspeople at every level, some types of workplaces, and many lifestyle activities. They are especially common with sports involving overhead activity or contact including swimming, waterpolo, rugby, Australian rules football, cricket, baseball, basketball, tennis, badminton, and netball to name a few. Workplace shoulder injuries can occur in a number of ways including trauma, falls, work in repetitive or awkward positions, heavy lifting, or just through many hours using a mouse or keyboard.
The physio team at Central Performance are experienced in managing acute injuries as well as chronic or recurring shoulder pain including:
On your first day you will receive a comprehensive initial assessment by your physiotherapist which will include taking a full history and a complete physical assessment. Your physiotherapist will assess specific local structures that may have been injured to provide you with an accurate diagnosis of your injury. This diagnosis will provide the framework for your ongoing treatment plan and timetable for returning to sport.
Your initial assessment will also identify any whole-body factors that may be contributing to your pain and preventing your shoulder from working as well as it should. The initial assessment is driven by evidence-based objective markers including range of motion, strength, movement control, and overall function that is related to your personal goals, activities, or sport.
Based on your diagnosis and physical assessment your physio will develop a treatment plan with you, including estimated times for each stage of your recovery. Every shoulder injury is different, but your treatment plan will usually consist of 4 main stages:
During your sessions you will receive extensive one-on-one treatment from your physiotherapist. Treatment will usually begin with hands-on techniques and targeted exercise to relieve your pain and restore your range of motion. As you begin to improve your treatment will progress to specific strengthening and mobility exercises followed by more functional whole-body exercises to correct any other factors contributing to your pain. It’s important to measure progress so that we can continue to re-evaluate and reorganise a clear roadmap on your journey to recovery.
The final stage of your treatment is ensuring that you have a safe return to sport. The goal of this phase is to restore your body to a greater strength and movement capacity than it was before your injury, and therefore reduce your risk of future problems.