What do I do when the top of my shoulder hurts?

Think of the role your shoulder plays in all your arm movements. Without the use of your shoulder, it’s impossible to lift your arm or to reach out in front of you or behind your back. When you have a condition that causes the top of your shoulder to hurt, then you know how it feels to have the use of your arm limited by pain. 

If you’re suffering from pain at the top of your shoulder, you should talk to a physical therapist about reducing and preventing your pain.

Why does the top of my shoulder hurt?

The top of your shoulder can hurt for a number of reasons. Two of the most common causes of pain at the tip of the shoulder are:

1. Shoulder impingement ⁠— Also known as a pinched shoulder, impingement occurs when you raise your arm and one of your tendons or bursae get trapped between your rotator cuff and the acromion bone of your shoulder. The pain from impingement can affect you while resting, but it’s especially painful at the top of your shoulder when raising your arm.
2. Rotator cuff injury ⁠— The rotator cuff is made up of several muscles and tendons that support your shoulder and power its movements. When one or more of these parts are stretched or torn, the use of your entire shoulder may be limited. Some rotator cuff injuries can specifically be felt at the top of your shoulder.

Treatment for top of the shoulder pain

When dealing with shoulder pain, you should visit a physical therapist for treatment. Physical therapists specialize in natural techniques that improve your body’s ability to recover from and prevent pain.

At Armor Physical Therapy, our physical therapists are highly trained and skilled in a variety of techniques that can help with your shoulder pain, including:

• Exercising ⁠— Your physical therapist can guide you through strengthening exercises designed specifically to target muscles that play a role in your recovery. Stronger muscles can help reduce strain off your injury and can help prevent future pain.
• Stretching ⁠— Stretches can help improve your flexibility and range of motion that might be limited by your condition.
• Manual therapy ⁠— Manual therapy methods, like joint mobilization and soft tissue mobilization, help reduce pain, improve range of motion and break up scar tissue that might be the source of your condition. 

Visit Armor Physical Therapy for help when the top of your shoulder hurts

Is shoulder pain limiting the use of your arm and making it difficult to live out your daily life? Our physical therapists at Armor can help. Contact our team today for more information about shoulder pain or to schedule an initial treatment.