Shoulder Pain Treatment in Kew, Melbourne
Shoulder pain can turn simple things into hard work, like reaching for a high shelf, doing up a bra, sleeping on your side or lifting at the gym. Sometimes it starts after an injury, but often it creeps up over weeks with no clear reason. Most shoulder pain responds well to the right mix of treatment and exercise. At our Kew clinic we see people from Kew, Balwyn and Ivanhoe who want to understand what's going on and get their shoulder working properly again.
Types of Shoulder Pain We See
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Rotator cuff pain: Aching around the outside of the shoulder, often worse lifting your arm, reaching overhead or lying on that side.
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Frozen shoulder: Pain and stiffness that steadily limits how far you can move your arm in every direction.
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Shoulder impingement: Pain when lifting your arm out to the side or overhead, often called a painful arc.
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Sporting shoulder injuries: Strains and overload from the gym, swimming, tennis, cricket or throwing.
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Shoulder pain from the neck: Pain felt in the shoulder that's actually coming from the neck. See our neck pain page.
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Pain after a fall or dislocation: Rehab once you've been checked by a doctor.
What Causes Shoulder Pain?
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in your body, which also means it relies heavily on muscles to keep it working well. Common contributors include:
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Doing too much too soon: A new gym program, a big weekend of painting or a jump in training.
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Repetitive overhead work: Jobs or sports that keep your arms up for long periods.
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Weakness around the shoulder blade: The rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles can't keep up with the demand.
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Stiffness in the upper back and neck: Less movement there puts more load through the shoulder.
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Age and general health: Shoulder tendons change with age, and conditions like diabetes are linked with frozen shoulder.
Like the back, scans of the shoulder often show wear and tear in people with no pain at all. How your shoulder moves and what makes it sore usually tells us more.
How Osteopathy Helps with Shoulder Pain
We look at how your shoulder, shoulder blade, neck and upper back work together, then build a plan around what's driving your pain.
Hands-On Treatment
Soft tissue work, joint mobilisation and stretching to ease pain and help your shoulder move more freely, plus treatment to the neck and upper back where they're contributing.
Strength and Rehab
Exercise is the most important part of getting most shoulders better. You'll get a simple, progressive program to build strength in the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles, adjusted as you improve, so your shoulder can handle work, sport and everyday life.
Advice That Fits Your Life
How to keep training or working without flaring it up, sleeping positions that take the pressure off, and how to build back up to overhead activities at the right pace.
Frozen shoulder is a bit different. It often takes many months to fully settle, so our focus is on easing pain, keeping as much movement as possible and working alongside your GP if other treatment is needed.
Jye Adamson, Osteopath
"Migraines are one of my main interests, partly because I've dealt with them myself. I know how much they can take out of you, and I've spent a lot of time learning what sets them off and how to spot the patterns."
What to Expect at Your Appointment
Your first appointment is 45 minutes. We'll ask how it started and what aggravates it, then check how your shoulder, neck and upper back move, along with strength tests for the muscles around the shoulder. You'll leave with a clear explanation, treatment if it's right for you, and exercises you can start straight away.