Self-help and information - Shoulder

Please read the following information and then use the links at the bottom of the page if you are looking for further information or exercise.

Important Facts About Your Shoulder – Please Read

Here is a list of the main problems and concerns we would recommend you get checked out by a health professional before commencing self-management exercises. These are called Red Flags and may indicate a more serious problem that requires medical assessment.

Symptoms That Are Present After Trauma

If your symptoms are caused by a recent traumatic incident (e.g. a fall, football tackle) and you have any of the following symptoms:

Pain and weakness at time of injury or shortly afterwards leading to a sudden loss of shoulder movement/ arm function
Shoulder is significantly bruised and/ or swollen
Shoulder and/ or surrounding soft tissue looks abnormal/deformed
New lumps and bumps that appear after the trauma.

NOTE: If you have an underlying poor bone density (e.g. osteoporosis) smaller amounts of force can cause the problems listed above.

Symptoms Where No Trauma Was Involved

Sudden loss of active movement with or without pain
Pain and/ or stiffness in other joints at the same time as shoulder pain developed
Heat, redness and/ or swelling of joint
Fever and general feeling unwell at same time as shoulder pain developed
Experiencing chest pain and / or difficulty breathing
Unexplained lumps and bumps that appear or are changing/ growing
Constant pain which does not change with rest or activity
Significant worsening night pain with or without night sweats
Unexplained weight loss and/or previous history cancer
Increasing numbers of joints that are painful and/or stiff
Any unexplained tingling, numbness and pins and needles into shoulder and/or arm

Note: Special attention should be taken if you have a history of long-term steroid/ immunosuppressive drug use, recent joint replacement, recent steroid injection, rheumatoid arthritis or other joint disease including recent infection, Intravenous drug use or alcohol misuse.

Shoulder Pain- Information and Exercises

Please make sure you have read through the important information above about shoulder pain before proceeding.

Below are some exercises to help you get your shoulder moving better. You may need to build these exercises up gradually.

You may be uncomfortable when you start doing these exercises – make sure the level of discomfort feels acceptable to you and that it doesn’t take too long to settle once you are finished.

The exercises should get easier the more consistently you manage to practice them and this may allow you to progress to more difficult exercises.

These are self help exercises: