Shoulder injury recovery

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, which is why it is easy to hurt reaching, falling, throwing or lifting, and why it can be slow to recover. The joint depends on muscles and the labrum, the cartilage rim of the socket, for stability, so recovery is not just about waiting for pain to fade. Getting motion and strength back in the right order is what prevents a stiff or unstable shoulder later. The videos show patients at different stages of shoulder injury recovery in the therapy gym.

Common shoulder injuries and typical recovery times

• Strain or tendinitis: two to six weeks with activity changes and exercise
• AC joint sprain (a fall on the point of the shoulder): two weeks to three months depending on grade
• Labral tear: three to six months of rehab when treated without surgery, as in the second video
• Rotator cuff tear: partial tears often do well with three to six months of therapy; see rotator cuff exercises
• Dislocation: see our shoulder dislocation recovery guide
• Fracture: usually six to twelve weeks to heal, then rehab, see fracture recovery

Our shoulder pain page lists the conditions we evaluate.

The stages of shoulder injury recovery

1. Protect and calm (days to two weeks): rest from painful lifting, a sling only if your doctor recommends it, ice, and gentle pendulum swings to keep the joint from stiffening
2. Restore motion (weeks two to six): assisted movements like the stick exercise in the first video, wall slides and stretches, plus hands-on therapy for a stiff joint
3. Rebuild strength (weeks four to twelve): band work for the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles, as in the fourth video, then weights and suspension straps; tape can add support during this stage (see kinesio tape for shoulder)
4. Return to activity (from about week eight): pushing, pulling, overhead and sport-specific drills, increasing load gradually

Timelines shift with the injury and your age and fitness. Moving on depends on meeting goals, such as full pain-free motion before heavy strengthening.

Getting back to lifting and sport

Lifters and athletes often want to know when they can press, bench or throw again. Good signs are full motion, strength close to the other side, and no pain or catching during and after training. Start with lighter loads and a limited range, rebuild pressing and overhead work last, and add volume before weight. A therapist can test strength side to side and design a return plan; our sports injury recovery post explains return-to-play steps, and sports medicine covers the wider team.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor promptly for a shoulder that looks deformed or out of place, sudden weakness or inability to lift the arm after a fall or lift, numbness or tingling down the arm, or severe night pain. Also get checked if pain is not improving after two to three weeks. A physician can examine the shoulder, use ultrasound or order an MRI, and, when pain is blocking rehab, discuss a guided shoulder injection; see shoulder pain treatment. A stiff, painful shoulder without a clear injury may be frozen shoulder; see frozen shoulder treatment. See shoulder injection for pain for how it is done and how long relief lasts. If the pain started with a pop and bruising lower down in the arm, see arm muscle tear treatment for what that can mean.

Related care at Precision Care Medical & Sports Performance

Shoulder injury rehab near you

Looking for a shoulder pain doctor near me or shoulder rehab? For physical therapy in Brooklyn, our physical therapists Zoya Reznik, DPT, OCS and Maggie (Yi) Zhang, DPT, with physical therapist assistants Dennis Furman, PTA and Leila Nahmoud, PTA guide shoulder injury recovery at our Brooklyn physical therapy office on Shell Rd, where Ashley Marcus, MD also sees patients for rotator cuff treatment in Brooklyn. It is close to Coney Island, Bensonhurst and Midwood.

For shoulder pain on Staten Island, physical therapists Victoria Lynn Kain, DPT and Nicholas “Nick” Ursini, DPT provide physical therapy on Staten Island at our Richmond Rd physical therapy office, a short drive from New Dorp, Eltingville and Dongan Hills, and Jake Stephen, DO sees patients at Staten Island pain management. In Manhattan, Yuri Gordin, MD evaluates shoulder pain at the Precision Care Spine & Pain Center in Midtown Manhattan, an easy trip from the Upper West Side, Harlem and Washington Heights; shoulder rehab is not offered at the Manhattan office. Request an appointment or call the office closest to you.

Questions patients ask

Educational only, not medical advice. These videos and this article explain common problems and treatments in general terms. They are not a diagnosis or a treatment plan for you. Results vary from person to person. See a qualified clinician about your own symptoms, and call 911 or go to an emergency room for an emergency.

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