7 Tips for Shoulder Pain Relief

Whether your shoulder pain was caused by a long history of sporting injuries, or by simply reaching over into the back seat of the car to pick something up, shoulder pain can dramatically affect your quality of life, and make even simple everyday tasks a major chore.

Here is a list of simple remedies to ease this pain. Please note that this does not replace an accurate diagnosis and treatment (see Tip 7).

The 7 Tips:

1. Rest
If playing that game of tennis causes shoulder pain that lasts the next 24 hours, it’s probably time to put down that racket for a few days and let the shoulder settle. Your shoulder will not improve by “playing through the pain”. You may find that avoiding the aggravating activities is the best way you have of controlling and in fact settling your shoulder pain. I often tell my patients with shoulder pain that they will get 50% of the improvement in their pain from avoiding the things I tell them not to do, and 50% of the improvement from doing things that I tell them to do.

2. Ice
For a recent injury or after shoulder surgery applying ice for 20 minutes 2 to 3 times daily will help reduce both pain and swelling. If you are still playing sport, ice the shoulder after playing to minimize inflammation. Remember to wrap the ice pack in a dry cloth to protect the skin from damage.

3. Heat
For chronic conditions, or for arthritic pain, local hot packs can offer significant pain relief and relax tight muscles. Apply a comfortable warmth for 20 minutes, and repeat as often as necessary. Don’t use heat for new acute injuries – ice is more appropriate here. Local hot packs applied to the shoulder before exercise will often make those exercises both more comfortable and more effective.

4. Movement
Our bodies thrive on movement and our shoulders are no exception. But don’t move into painful positions, and avoid overhead activities. Your physiotherapist can teach you gentle pain free exercises. Shoulder pain is often considerably less after gentle pain free exercise.

5. Stretch
Tightness in the shoulder can contribute to pain on activity, so the correct stretch exercises can help ease painful movements.

6. Posture
Our modern lifestyle, unfortunately, sees us sitting in front of a computer, our spine slumped forward and our arms and shoulders hunched forward. This position places the shoulders under stress, and contributes to an impingement in the shoulder where the tendons and bursa are pinched between the bones. Improving your posture will reduce the pressure and irritation of the tendons and bursa, leading to a gradual reduction in shoulder pain.


7. See a Health Professional
If your shoulder pain does not settle completely within a couple of days applying the above remedies, then it's probably time to see a physiotherapist with special expertise in shoulders. The physiotherapist will carry out a comprehensive assessment of your shoulder and surrounding areas, form a diagnosis of the problem, order X-rays if appropriate, and start you on a rehabilitation program. This program will include exercises for you to carry out daily at home.

Good luck with your return to pain-free shoulders!


By Bruce Paulik

Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
– special interest in shoulder and tendon rehabilitation -

Visit our website to find out more about Bruce, or book an appointment online now.
www.hfrc.com.au