As the warm spring weather has opened opportunities for more outdoor activities, the shoulder pain that wasn’t a big deal in the winter may start to pose some serious issues. If you have had a general relaxation massage in the past and it didn’t help your shoulder pain, perhaps now is the time to try medical massage. Though a relaxation massage has many benefits to your general health and wellness for shoulder pain it will likely require something a bit more specific.
The shoulder is a very complex joint because it can move in so many different directions. Some movements can feel completely fine, but as soon as you move a little bit in the wrong direction you feel intense pain. Of course massage therapy does not replace a visit to your medical doctor, and it is recommended that you see your doctor first to be sure there is nothing more serious going on such as a complete tear, broken bone etc. If your doctor feels surgery is not the answer, along with physical therapy, massage therapy can be your next stop. Medical massage can help with frozen shoulder, rotator cuff injuries, limited range of motion and many other shoulder problems.
With medical massage we spend time asking questions about how the injury came about, what causes pain, and what makes it feel better. It is important to consider working conditions, activities outside of work, as well as older injuries in the area as well as surrounding areas of the body. Past injuries and regular overuse can cause the body to create compensation patterns, which can lead to injury or make existing injuries worse.
In most cases, the cause of pain is due to an imbalance. It is our goal to find this imbalance and correct it. In a typical session, we will begin by loosening all the muscles around the joint with a specific order in mind depending on the intake. Working on all of the muscles in the area is crucial because sometimes where the pain is, is not where the cause is. By only treating the pain, you are less likely to get long lasting results as the cause will still be at work. As different muscles get loosened it is common to find that the pain will move around making it even less effective to focus only on the pain. As we release chronically tight muscles and activate underutilized muscles the joint begins to loosen up and client guards come down as balance is restored. This allows us to use different muscle testing and movements, so we can discover what exactly is going on whether it is a muscle strain, an issue with the joint capsule or both. Once we figure out the cause and correct it, we can suggest exercises specifically for the imbalances we found during the session. We can also look at daily habits that may be causing the imbalance and work to change those. It may also be beneficial for the client to follow up with a physical therapist for a more in depth rehabilitation program.
If you are becoming more active with the warmer weather and are noticing some limiting pain in your shoulder, don’t let it hold you back! Medical massage can get you back into the activities you enjoy.
We are looking forward to working with you as you recover from shoulder pain, Call today to schedule your appointment. New clients receive 20% off their first visit! 919.322.8382 !!
Convenient to Cary, Morrisville, Apex, and Raleigh for Medical massage, Sports massage, Prenatal massage, and Relaxation massage.
Oak City Massage Therapy
