In general, physiotherapy or physical therapies are treatments to reduce shoulder pain and discomfort that should only be done by experienced people. If you or your loved ones are suffering from shoulder pain following a stroke, be sure to read more. In this article we will talk more about Stroke recovery shoulder pain.
Doctors consider shoulder pain to be one of the most common complications after a stroke. Post-stroke shoulder pain can severely limit the range of motion of the shoulder joint So that your physiotherapist will have serious problems in the continuation of your physiotherapy and rehabilitation sessions.
what you will read next :
What happens when some people get shoulder pain after a stroke?
Thirty-two percent of people experience severe shoulder pain after a stroke. Seventy percent of people experience severe shoulder pain two to six months after the stroke, this means the most common time for these shoulder pains was two to six months after the stroke.
3.16% of these patients had loose shoulder muscles and experienced a decrease in muscle strength. In 6.79% of patients, shoulder pain and stiffening of the muscles around the shoulder were observed.
35.9% of these people have a history of cerebral hemorrhage
5/24%of these people are osteoporosis
7/6%of these people have history of open heart surgery
5/73% Restriction of neck movements
1/6%of these people have a deviation and skewness of the spine
Doctors say bleeding inside the brain tissue and limiting and reducing the range of motion of the neck are closely linked. Post-stroke shoulder pain is due to inflammation of the soft tissues such as muscles and ligaments around the shoulder joint. The shoulder joint may also become partially dislocated during a stroke.
Recognizing the above causes helps physicians to gradually improve the range of motion of the neck and shoulders with specialized and standard physical therapies and reduce shoulder pain after stroke by relieving inflammation.
Causes of shoulder pain after stroke
So the causes of shoulder pain after stroke are briefly as follows:
- Shoulder joint dislocations
- Inflammation of the shoulder joint capsule, which doctors call capsulitis.
- Inflammation of the soft tissues around the shoulder, (the tendons, ligaments, and muscles around the shoulder)
The following factors provide the basis for more shoulder pain:
- Inactive
- Incorrect position of the affected person when resting and moving
- Muscle weakness
- The weight of the upper limb on the shoulder
Properly positioned, shoulder joint dislocation is prevented and inflammation of the soft tissues around the shoulder is reduced.
Recovery of shoulder pain after stroke
In the following, we will say what measures are appropriate for recovering shoulder pain after a stroke.
- Position correction:
Proper position prevents dislocation of the shoulder joint and reduces excessive shoulder pain and does not allow the shoulder to be injured to reduce its range of motion.
Do the following for the correct position:
Lie on your side
The hand on the shoulder with the shoulder pain should be at a distance from your body, for example at a ninety-degree angle.
Lie on your side and place your hands on the affected shoulder on a small pillow in front of your body.
If you are lying on your back, place your hand on the small pillow next to you.
When sitting, support the weight of the affected hand with a healthy hand or using a table so that too much weight does not get involved in the shoulder joint.
- Move in the right way:
The hand and arm of the infected person should not be stretched when moving from bed and chair.
- Use a sling:
The sling is prescribed by a doctor for the affected person. The sling is a tool that is hung from the neck and protects the affected upper limb.
After a stroke, people may have weakness in the shoulder and arm muscles, and these weak muscles may not be able to support the weight of the upper limb on the shoulder.
Slings are very helpful in standing and sitting positions until they heal.
- Avoid inactivity:
Shoulder movements should be started as soon as possible. Immobility worsens the weakness and increases the loss of strength of the muscles around the shoulder. The type of movements and their intensity should be determined only by a doctor and physiotherapist and according to the condition of each patient.
A review of the effects of physiotherapy in the recovery of shoulder pain after stroke
Physicians and physiotherapists will use one or more of the following methods to prevent and recover shoulder pain after a stroke, depending on each individual’s condition:
- Specialized and standard manual methods and techniques during which the muscles are activated and strengthened, the patient’s voluntary movements are improved and the slow joint movements are slowly started and strengthened to approach his normal range.
- Positioning correctly to retain and maintain proper arm and shoulder alignment.
- Regular, purposeful and planned exercises according to standard principles to reduce muscle stiffness, strengthen weakened muscles and restore normal range of motion of the shoulder joint.
- Taping in order to support the outside and strengthen the muscles
- Getting help from electrically controlled stimuli to reduce pain and strengthen the muscles involved around the shoulder joint
The final word
Any arbitrary movements should be avoided. Only experienced physicians and physiotherapists should establish a basic and standard program for shoulder pain recovery and shoulder physiotherapy after stroke so that the unprincipled movements themselves do not cause unwanted complications and serious harm to the patient.