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Shoulder pain treatment Exercises, therapy and injections that help
Most shoulder pain treatment starts with physical therapy: exercises that restore motion and strengthen the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles, plus changes to the movements that keep irritating the joint. When pain blocks progress, a physician may suggest an ultrasound-guided shoulder injection to calm inflammation so you can keep working on strength. Many rotator cuff problems, bursitis and frozen shoulder improve without surgery. For the different types of shoulder injections and what to expect, see shoulder injection for pain.
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, which also makes it easy to irritate. Pain reaching overhead, sleeping on the shoulder or lifting a bag is common with rotator cuff tendon problems, bursitis and arthritis. This guide explains the main shoulder pain treatment options, shows what our therapists and physicians do in the videos above, and covers when to get it checked. For every shoulder condition we treat, see our shoulder pain page, and after a strain, fall or sports injury, see shoulder injury recovery.
Common causes of shoulder pain
- Rotator cuff tendinopathy or tears: pain on the outside of the upper arm, worse lifting the arm or at night
- Impingement and bursitis: pinching and swelling under the bony roof of the shoulder
- Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis): slowly increasing stiffness and pain in every direction
- Arthritis: aching and grinding in the main joint or at the top of the shoulder
- Pain from the neck: an irritated nerve in the neck can cause shoulder blade and arm pain (see chronic neck pain treatment)
Shoulder pain treatment with physical therapy
In the first video, a physical therapist coaches a patient through shoulder exercises and shows how to change one when it causes pain instead of pushing through it. The second shows resistance-band and cable work for the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles. A typical plan includes:
- Gentle range-of-motion work to keep the joint moving
- Rotator cuff strengthening, often starting with bands
- Shoulder blade (scapular) strength and posture
- Hands-on manual therapy for stiffness, and kinesiology taping when it helps
- A gradual return to overhead work, lifting and sport (after a dislocation, see shoulder disloca
Physical therapy for shoulder pain is offered at our Brooklyn and Staten Island offices; read more about our physical and occupational therapy services. Occupational therapy for upper-extremity and hand problems is offered in Brooklyn.
When a shoulder injection helps
If pain keeps you from sleeping or from doing your exercises, a physician may suggest a corticosteroid injection. The third and fourth videos show an injection placed with ultrasound guidance, which lets the clinician see the needle and the target on screen. An injection can calm inflammation for a period of time, but it does not repair a tendon, so therapy continues afterward. Learn more about joint injections and diagnostic ultrasound.
Frozen shoulder treatment
Frozen shoulder moves through painful, stiff and thawing stages over many months. Treatment aims to control pain and protect motion: gentle stretching within comfort, and sometimes an injection in the painful early stage. Pushing hard into pain usually backfires. Our guide to frozen shoulder treatment covers each stage in detail.
What you can do at home
- Keep the arm moving gently. Total rest makes a shoulder stiffer
- Avoid sleeping on the painful side; a pillow under the arm can help
- Lift loads close to your body and avoid repeated overhead reaching for a while
- Use ice after activity if the shoulder feels hot and sore
When to see a shoulder pain doctor
See a physician if shoulder pain lasts more than a few weeks, wakes you at night, or makes it hard to lift the arm. Get care quickly after a fall if the shoulder looks deformed or you cannot lift the arm at all. Call 911 for shoulder or arm pain with chest pressure, shortness of breath or sweating, which can be a sign of a heart problem.
More videos on shoulder pain
More clips from our YouTube channel @precisioncaremedical showing shoulder exercises and injections.
Related care at Precision Care Medical & Sports Performance
Shoulder pain treatment near you
For physical therapy, our Brooklyn physical therapy team works with patients from Midwood, Sheepshead Bay and Coney Island and includes physical therapists Zoya Reznik, DPT, OCS and Maggie (Yi) Zhang, DPT, with physical therapist assistants Dennis Furman, PTA and Leila Nahmoud, PTA. If you are looking for rotator cuff treatment in Brooklyn or occupational therapy for the arm and hand, start at our Brooklyn office. For shoulder pain on Staten Island, physical therapists Victoria Lynn Kain, DPT and Nicholas “Nick” Ursini, DPT see patients at our Staten Island office, convenient to Great Kills, Eltingville and Midland Beach.
If you need a shoulder pain doctor near me to evaluate the joint or discuss an injection, our pain management physicians are Ashley Marcus, MD in Brooklyn, Jake Stephen, DO on Staten Island and Yuri Gordin, MD in Midtown Manhattan, convenient for patients from Spanish Harlem, the Upper West Side and Midtown East. Physical therapy is not offered at the Midtown Manhattan office. Pain procedures are performed at all three offices, and your physician explains where and when yours will be scheduled. Request an appointment.
150 E 55th St, Suite 401, New York, NY 10022
(212) 840-0135
Questions patients ask
What is the best treatment for shoulder pain?
For most shoulder pain, physical therapy that restores motion and strengthens the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles is the first step. An ultrasound-guided injection may be added when pain blocks progress. Surgery is considered for some tears and injuries that do not improve.
Can shoulder pain be treated without surgery?
Often, yes. Many rotator cuff tendon problems, partial tears, bursitis and frozen shoulder improve with therapy and, where appropriate, an injection. A physician refers you for a surgical opinion when the pattern calls for it.
What exercises help shoulder pain?
Common starting points are gentle range-of-motion work, resistance-band rotator cuff exercises and shoulder blade strengthening. A physical therapist adjusts them to your shoulder and changes any exercise that causes sharp pain.
How does a shoulder injection help?
A corticosteroid injection can calm inflammation in the joint or bursa for a period of time, which can make sleep and exercise easier. It does not repair a tendon, so physical therapy continues afterward.
How long does shoulder pain take to heal?
Tendon problems often improve over six to twelve weeks of steady exercise. Frozen shoulder can take many months. A clinician can give you a better estimate after an exam.
Where can I get shoulder pain treatment near me?
Precision Care Medical & Sports Performance offers physical therapy for shoulder pain in Brooklyn at 2781 Shell Rd, Suite 101, (718) 648-1234, and on Staten Island at 1630 Richmond Rd, Suite 101, (718) 339-7100. Physicians also see shoulder pain at the Midtown Manhattan office, 150 E 55th St, Suite 401, which does not offer physical therapy.
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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