Shoulder Arthritis is a degenerative condition, where the articular cartilage is gradually degraded, until it's complete destruction. Charachteristic of arthritis is the reduction of intraarticular space and the appearence of osteophytes.
What are the Symptoms of Shoulder Arthritis?
The main symptom of Shoulder Arthritis is pain, felt :
- during movement of the hand
- consantly, even when the limb is not moving
- at night during sleep, particularly when lying on the affected side
The hand as a restricted range of motion in all directions, and a cracking sound might be felt.
Risk Factors of Shoulder Arthritis
Shoulder Arthritis might be caused due to :
- Usual joint wear due to age
- An inflammatory disease, such as Rehumatoid Arthritis
- Injury / fracture / dilocation of the joint
- Infection
How can Physical Therapy Help with Shoulder Arthritis?
During treatment the immediate concern is the cease of pain, which can be very acute in certain cases. This is achived through a combination of interventions, such as specialized massage and electrotherapy, which can be effective in any case. Then passive and active kinesiotherapy, with also specialized exercises is applied. Gradually, with the increase of shoulder range of motion, a set of exercises is introduced. In cases of infection of advanced articlular degredation, patients are refered to a doctor. The interventions used are:
- Muscle stretching exercises
- Kinesiotherapy and structured Exercise ProgramShoulder dynamic stability
- Orthopedic Manual Therapy
- Physical Therapy Modalities such as thermotherapy, cryotherapy, diathermy for pain and inflamation reduction
- TECAR for deep tissue heating
Differential Assessment
Evaluation by the Physical Therapist in necessary for detecting other potential pathologies that coexist, such as:
- Shoulder impigment
- Shoulder dislocation
- Frozen shoulder
- Supraspinatus tendinopathy
- Calcific tendonitis
- Bursitis
Evaluation by Othropedic Physical Therapist Konstantinos Danalis is done by taking your medical history and history of the clinical condition, by clinical trials and a test therapy that follows.
Shoulder Srthritis Prevention
Για την πρόληψη της αρθρίτιδας, είτε πριν εμφανιστεί, είτε στο αρχικό στάδιο πριν επιδεινωθεί, απαοτείται κινησιοθεραπεία με πρόγραμμα δομημένης άσκησης, που βελτιώσει την λειτουργία της άρθρωση και θα προλάβει την φθορά της.
Did you have surgery for Shoulder Arthroplasty?
Physical Therapy can help you maximize the benefits of a surgery.Together with Physical Therapist Mr. Danalis you will customise your rehabilitaion, so that post-surgery pain is addressed quickly, and with exercise your hand will once again be strong and with full range of motion.
If you are experiencing symptoms of Shoulder Arthritis Contact PhysioDanali today for expert consultation.
References
- Dyer JO, Doiron-Cadrin P, Lafrance S, et al. Diagnosing, Managing, and Supporting Return to Work of Adults With Rotator Cuff Disorders: Clinical Practice Guideline Methods. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2022;52(10):665-674. doi:10.2519/jospt.2022.11307