Shoulder pain can severely affect you during many of your regular daily activities such as reaching, lifting, dressing, cutting vegetables, and even sleeping.
A little while back, I had an experience treating one of my patients who loves playing tennis. John admitted to having shoulder pain while he played. After his trips to the tennis court stopped, the pain seemed to get better. However, while at work and even at night, he was in pain! Because it was clear that rest wasn't helping, we took action quickly by getting him in for an X-ray. What we found were calcium deposits on three of his joints in his upper body which causes arthritis. Due to the severity of the case, our efforts to find other solutions didn't pay off because there are no alternatives currently available for severe cases like this one.
Like you, John was concerned with getting results. He had his first appointment with IMS on the same day he mentioned to his tennis instructor that he’d heard physical therapy could help people. His first session involved an assessment and then a treatment plan was established based on an extensive review of his history and interview of both John and his father/coach. By the end of the second week, X-rays were showing his progress. Within eight weeks he was back to playing hard in tennis matches again, fully bending over to make serves for nine weeks, and driving for three hours without pain or stiffness in 10 weeks.
IMS treatment is a powerful treatment tool that can speed up your healing, reduce pain and get you back to your activities ASAP.
What is IMS (Intramuscular Stimulation), and Why Does it Matter?
IMS is a type of dry needling (meaning you are needled with an acupuncture needle and there is no fluid added or removed called wet needling).
Injection needles used by insulin-dependent patients are short, thin and come in a range of gauges. They are designed for self-injection and are much thicker than regular hypodermic needles. The needles themselves are also made of a specialized material that is strong yet flexible enough to bend with a twist. These needles are designed to be strong and flexible enough to bend with a twist, but also thin enough to be able to pass into the skin. However, not all needles are designed for people who have diabetes. The needles used by doctors, for example, are much longer and thicker than the hypodermic needles used by diabetics.
IMS assessment and treatment requires a thorough physical examination by a therapist trained to recognize the physical signs of neuropathic pain. This physical examination is essential, as neuropathic pain is not visible on X-Rays, MRI, bone and CT scans.
Origin of Intramuscular Stimulation
The origin of intramuscular stimulation therapy is related to ancient Chinese medical practices. Their ancient medical practitioners were particularly resourceful and had a wide range of treatment options available. Their ancient medical practices were mostly based on ancient Chinese philosophy and ancient medical practitioners did not follow the scientific method. They did not believe there was a need for scientific research or experiments to determine if their treatments were effective or not. They used their knowledge and experiences to determine what would work and what wouldn't.
Over the years, research and development in the field of medicine has resulted in the development of various new and effective techniques and methods in the field of cardiac and general surgeries. One such technique or method is the intramuscular stimulations. This technique has been developed and practiced in recent years and is quite popular in the field of cardiac and general surgeries. The technique allows for an effective and quick contraction and relaxation of the muscles during the surgeries.
What to Expect from IMS Treatment?
If you're looking to speed up your recovery from a specific injury or ailment, you may want to look into intramuscular stimulations, also known as IMS. What many do not understand is how IMS works. In short, IMS works by sending electrical pulses to specific muscles or joints, which causes an increase in blood flow, blood supply to the area, and most importantly, aids in the regeneration of soft tissues. The increased blood supply will also help remove waste products from the muscles and joints, allowing for a more thorough recovery.
Why do I have a painful shoulder?
By the end of a work day, you could have a painful shoulder even if you don't work at a desk. The reason for this is that you're not actually using your muscles in a way to prevent pain. In order to prevent it from happening, try to hang your arms lower when writing or typing or even when you're having a casual conversation. The reason for this is that you're pulling your shoulder back. This puts stress on the muscles in your shoulder and it will hurt. By lowering your arms, you're pulling them forward and this takes the stress off the muscles in your shoulder. While this tip may seem small, it can have a huge impact on your pain and overall health!
The most common causes of pain in the shoulder result from:
The Rotator Cuff
Pinching of the cuff called impingement
Damage to the rotator cuff = usually called a strain or tear
The Bursa
Shoulder arthritis
Frozen shoulder
How IMS and Massage Therapy Can Solve your Painful Shoulder in 5 Steps
Treat your pain, stiffness and muscle imbalances with IMS & massage therapy
Stretch your shoulder, neck and thoracic spine
Retrain control of your spine, shoulder blade and shoulder
Strengthen the rotator cuff
Perform whole arm and body movement
Here are 5 exercises to do to help eliminate painful shoulders
1. Banded External Rotation - Stand and hold the ends of an elastic in your hands, tuck your
elbows in by your sides and bend your elbows
90°. Hold the band apart to add resistance. Rotate the shoulders by moving your hands away from each other, keeping your elbows tucked in by your sides. Return and repeat.
Image Source:14 Physical Therapy Exercises For Shoulder Pain & Rehab (Printable PDF) (sportydoctor.com)
2. Wall Clock - Stand in front of a wall with a band around your wrists and your hands on the wall. Push firmly into the wall to set your shoulder blades. With one hand stable, move the other hand into resistance to touch every number on one side of the imaginary clock, returning to center every time. Repeat with the other hand.
3. Banded Internal Rotation - Stand and tie an elastic on the side of the target arm at elbow level. Hold the end of the elastic and bend your elbow to 90 degrees. Stand at a distance with resistance to the band and pull the band towards your belly. Keep your elbow bent against your body during the exercise. Return to the beginning position
Remember that living in pain is a choice. Your shoulder pain can be permanently cured by combining IMS treatment with physiotherapy.
Image Source: 14 Physical Therapy Exercises For Shoulder Pain & Rehab (Printable PDF) (sportydoctor.com)
Remember that living in pain is a choice. Your shoulder pain can be permanently cured by combining IMS treatment with physiotherapy.
4.Shoulder Roll: A great exercise for stretching out your back is the shoulder roll. It's easy to do and it helps loosen you up, releasing any aches in the process.
Image Source: 14 Physical Therapy Exercises For Shoulder Pain & Rehab (Printable PDF) (sportydoctor.com)
You can help relieve some tension that builds up in your shoulders by just slowly rotating your arms slowly at your sides. To do this:
Stand up straight with your feet five to six inches apart.
Dangle your arms and take a deep breath as you lift them up slowly, rotating as you go.
Move your shoulders backward so that they’re squeezed tightly together until they’re touching each other
Then exhale as you lower them slowly
Repeat this position in front to stretch the front side of your shoulders.
Repeat 10 times
5. Barrel Hug:
Image Source: 14 Physical Therapy Exercises For Shoulder Pain & Rehab (Printable PDF) (sportydoctor.com)
Sit in a Chair, make sure you are keeping your back straight.
Reach out with your arms up to shoulder level
keep each elbow bent (as if you are hugging a barrel)
Perform this rotation from side to side as well as bending slightly on the sides as you do so.
This action will help build some more flexibility in those areas as well as work those muscles!
Remember that living in pain is a choice. Your shoulder pain can be permanently cured by combining IMS treatment with physiotherapy.
If you’re experiencing pain or stress, call Courtenay Massage Therapy at 250-897-0069 or BOOK ONLINE.
Alternatively, please use the CONTACT US page to request help with services or booking.