Shoulder Pain - Tokyo
Shoulder injuries are common in snow sports, particularly with snowboarders.
Falling on icy streets is also the cause of shoulder injuries. Shoulders can also become painful after travel, or from activities of daily life secondary to wear and tear.
shoulder conditions
The main shoulder conditions we manage are:
These are usually injured in a fall with direct impact onto the front or top of the shoulder. These injuries can cause a ‘step deformity’ which is a visible elevation of the clavicle (collar bone) as it pulls up and away from the acromion (shoulder blade). These injuries are painful and need treatment to reduce the separation. We work to tape the joint in a supported position and can provide a sling for severe cases. People may return to skiing with taping and support in lower-grade cases.
A shoulder dislocation occurs when the head of the humerus is wrenched from the socket (glenoid). This injury is extremely painful and people should go to the nearest hospital for reduction. After dislocation physiotherapy is recommended to strengthen the rotator cuff and stabilize muscles to restore normal function.
A rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles that hold the ball in the centre of the socket. These are small muscles but they are essential in maintaining normal shoulder function. They can be torn with acute injury or by wear and tear. Complete tears or ruptures sometimes require surgical repair. Physiotherapy works to release tension in muscles and strengthen the muscles to improve their function.
Shoulder pain can prevent people from sleeping and cause constant pain. Physiotherapy is useful in reducing shoulder pain with manual therapy, gentle joint mobilisations, and pain relieving modalities.
We have a range of comfortable shoulder slings, braces, and taping. Japanese hospitals and clinics use a triangular bandage as a sling, which many people find uncomfortable. We are trained in various taping techniques and have a wide selection of slings to protect the injured shoulder while in comfort.
