Are shoulder issues making you feel old? Is shoulder pain making it difficult for you to sleep on your side?
Just about everyone who has shoulder problems tells me this. No matter what age, the pain and limitations remind us of how we used to feel and what we were able to do when we were pain-free.
The good news is, we can change that.
Most people face shoulder problems at some point, especially after the age of 40 due to “wear and tear.”
The most common shoulder problems are:
Tendonitis
Bursitis
Impingement
Rotator cuff tear
frozen shoulder
Why People Have Shoulder Problems And What Stops Them From Getting Help?
Though shoulder problems can start at any age, most people who come in and talk to us about their shoulder problems are 40-year-olds or older. Why? Because research shows that wear and tear start to manifest after the age of 40.
It doesn’t mean that once you turn 40, your health is gonna go downhill! But, man, If you wait any longer, what will happen later? How bad can your shoulder problems become?
“Why wait for the help you need?”
I’ve asked this question to plenty of people whom we have helped as well as friends and family. I can tell you with certainty that there are two groups of people:
Group 1: The group that waits it out
The first, and larger, group of people start to have shoulder pain that comes and goes. For the most part, the pain is not present all the time AND it doesn’t stop them from doing anything. They are not concerned even if the pain is there for months, even years.
They do think about it. It does slow them down. Perhaps they are even more careful with certain movements. Or maybe they stop doing a specific task. But the pain is manageable with pills. They may worry that it can get worse, but since it hasn’t, they can wait. (P.S. I have tons of these stories.)
Group 2: The group that gets help for unresolved pain
The other, and smaller, group tends to get help faster when their shoulder problems don’t resolve by themselves in a few weeks. They don’t want to wait for the pain to get worse or until it stops them from doing what they want to do before they get help.
Group 3: The group that doesn’t like waiting
Oh, there’s a third group. They no longer want to wait. Once the pain is constant or when they simply can’t lift their arms to do simple tasks such as dressing or brushing their hair, there is no waiting. They want help and the only thing stopping them is, where do they go? At Miami occupational therapy clinic, we are grateful that they trusted us to help them.
Which group are you in?
Not sure if therapy can help you? Not sure where to go?
Tune in next week, and I will go into more detail about shoulder problems. I will also give you some actionable steps that I share with our clients to help resolve your shoulder issues.
About the author
Hoang Tran is an occupational therapist, the owner of the Hands-on Therapy Services – a Miami occupational therapy clinic — and author of the book “The Hands-On Approach”.
She loves helping people with shoulder problems and offers services like frozen shoulder treatment in Miami because she knows how bad and debilitating it can get. Her efforts effectively bring her patients back to full functionality, without pills, injections or surgery. For inquiries call her at 786-615-9879 or email her at hoang@handsots.com. You can also visit her clinic or make an appointment.
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
