Check out our January 2024 Newsletter, highlighting managing shoulder labral tears with physical therapy, benefits of core strengthening for athletic performance, setting SMART fitness goals, and winter donation drive thank you.

A shoulder labral tear can result from the labrum becoming frayed over time due to intense repetitive activity or from an acute trauma like a direct blow, fall, or dislocation. The shoulder labrum is a ring of fibro-cartilage tissue that surrounds the rim of the glenoid on the scapula, providing stability to the shoulder joint. Physical therapy plays a crucial role in the management and rehabilitation of shoulder labral tears and can help athletes with shoulder labral tears regain strength, stability, function, and range of motion in the shoulder joint for a safe return to sport.

Swimming is a dynamic sport that requires full body movement and coordination and a significant amount of power and endurance, placing significant stress on the shoulder joint. The intensity of competitive swimming training can increase the risk of common overuse injuries like swimmer’s shoulder, knee injury, or low back pain. Physical therapy can help swimmers prevent and address injuries through sport-specific training and a comprehensive rehabilitation program to improve strength, endurance, mobility, and shoulder stability. Check out our 5 tips to prevent injury in competitive swimming!

Biceps tendonitis involves inflammation of and injury to the biceps tendon, often due to repetitive overloading and overuse from sports activities that cause microtears in the fibers of the tendon. Biceps tendonitis is more common among athletes who play sports that place repetitive stress on the biceps tendon through repetitive overhead motions. Physical therapy can effectively address biceps tendonitis, decreasing pain and inflammation, improving shoulder range of motion and strength, and improving functional mobility of the arm and shoulder through a targeted exercise program.

Check out our September 2023 Newsletter, highlighting: debunking 6 myths about arthritis, physical therapy for an AC joint sprain, back-to-school backpack safety, and staff spotlight on our new PTA, Renee.

Little league shoulder is an overuse injury seen in young baseball players that results from repetitive stress placed on the shoulder and humeral growth plates from overhead throwing. Over time, without sufficient rest time for healing of the tissues, the repetitive stress of throwing can cause the growth plate to become injured, inflamed, and even fracture in severe cases. Physical therapists play a key role in helping young athletes with little league shoulder recover, addressing muscle weaknesses, range of motion restrictions, and throwing mechanics with a targeted sport-specific therapeutic exercise program.

Mangiarelli Rehabilitation physical therapist Bobby demonstrates 3 exercises you can do to prevent stiffness and regain mobility after an AC joint sprain. An AC joint sprain typically occurs due to a sudden fall on the shoulder that can push the shoulder blade away from the collarbone, straining or tearing the ligaments of the AC joint. Physical therapy is the first line of treatment for AC joint sprains and is highly effective in restoring shoulder mobility, strength, and function following an AC injury.

Check out our August 2023 Newsletter, highlighting physical therapy for rotator cuff tears, best exercise to address ankle stiffness, physical therapy for vertigo, and aquatic therapy balance training.

Physical therapy plays a critical role in recovery from a rotator cuff tear, helping individuals regain strength, mobility, range of motion, and coordination in the shoulder. Rotator cuff tears involve a partial or complete tearing of a rotator cuff tendon or muscle due to an acute trauma to, chronic overuse of, or age-related degeneration of the shoulder joint. Exercise rehabilitation is the cornerstone of physical therapy treatment for rotator cuff injuries.

Check out our April 2023 Newsletter, highlighting the importance of prehabilitation before surgery, return to throwing using the rebounder, the role of nutrition after joint replacement surgery, and preventing knee pain during spring gardening.

Throwing injuries to the shoulder among baseball players are very common, often due to overuse and repetitive high stress of overhead throwing. Rehabilitation after a shoulder injury involves a gradual restoration of range of motion, strength, muscular endurance, dynamic stabilization, and neuromuscular control via targeted therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, rebounder therapy, and aquatic therapy. When preparing for a return to throwing, using the rebounder can be a highly effective way to prepare the shoulder gradually and safely for the dynamic act of throwing. Mangiarelli Rehabilitation physical therapist Bobby demonstrates a return to throwing progression using the rebounder to rehabilitate after a shoulder injury.

Frozen shoulder is characterized by structural changes in the shoulder joint, primarily thickening of the tissues of the shoulder joint capsule which “freezes” movement and range of motion in the shoulder. Frozen shoulder can result from diabetes, thyroid disease, Parkinson’s disease, or due to a period of enforced immobility of the shoulder due to trauma to the joint, shoulder surgery, or overuse injuries to the shoulder. Physical therapy is the first line of treatment for frozen shoulder and is highly effective in speeding up the recovery process and regaining shoulder mobility at any stage of the condition.

Boxing is a high-impact sport requiring full-body movement, coordination, agility, endurance, and power, combining upper-body power punching with lower-body footwork. Due to the high intensity of the sport, upper body injuries are common, including concussions, wrist and elbow strains, boxer’s fracture, or shoulder rotator cuff or labrum tears. Physical therapists can help boxers prevent injury through a customized strength and conditioning program and recover from and return to the boxing ring safely after injury.

Snowboarding is an intense winter sport requiring excellent balance, coordination, and agility while descending packed snow-covered slopes at high speed. Due to the high speeds and momentum gained when snowboarding, injuries due to falling are common and most often involve injury to the upper body, such as wrist fractures, separated shoulders, ligament and tendon tears in the shoulder, and concussions. A physical therapist can help a snowboarder not only recover from injury and safely return to the slopes but also prepare for the snowboarding season through a targeted strength and conditioning program.

Check out our infographic on physical therapy for a shoulder separation. Shoulder separations occur when one or more of the ligaments that hold the clavicle and the scapula that form the AC joint become strained or torn. This is a common shoulder injury in football due to the high-contact and tackling nature of the sport. Physical therapy can effectively treat shoulder separations, helping athletes manage pain, restore shoulder mobility, and strength, and return to sport safely.

Snapping scapula syndrome involves popping, grating, grinding or snapping of bones and tissue in the shoulder blade when lifting or moving the arm. It is most common in young, active people who perform repeated overhead movements. Physical therapy is an effective way to treat snapping scapula syndrome, reducing pain and soft tissue inflammation and addressing loss of motion and muscle weakness through therapeutic exercise, strengthening, and manual therapy.

A shoulder separation, or AC joint injury, involves a strain or tear of the ligaments of the joint that result in some form of separation between the clavicle and acromion. Shoulder separations are common among young male athletes who participate in high-contact sports like football and rugby. Physical therapy is an effective treatment for AC joint shoulder separations, helping to manage pain, restore shoulder mobility and strength, and return to sport and work safely through a progressive four-phase rehabilitation program.

Check out our August 2022 Newsletter, which highlights physical therapy for shoulder osteoarthritis, back-to-school ergonomics, how to improve your golf swing, and 12 tips for running in the heat.

Shoulder osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that lines the shoulder joint is worn or torn away, causing pain, swelling, and reduced function in the shoulder. Shoulder osteoarthritis most commonly affects those over age 50, particularly older women. Physical therapy can help those with shoulder osteoarthritis manage and decrease pain, prevent progression of the disease, and restore movement and function in the shoulder. If the osteoarthritis is severe, surgery may be recommended to restore function followed by intensive rehabilitative care.

Check out our July 2022 Newsletter that highlights physical therapy treatment for cervicogenic headaches, how to prevent shoulder injuries in baseball pitchers, using the rebounder in physical therapy treatment, and tips for safe summer runs.