A shoulder strain can not only be incredibly painful, but it can also take ages to heal if you don’t take the right steps. Here are a few of the best tips you can use to not only minimize pain but also speed up recovery.
Stabilize
The first thing you should do is to stabilize the shoulder. This can be done by first applying a few layers of elastic tape to help keep your shoulder steady, and then putting on a shoulder brace for pain.
Stabilization is important, especially when you first strain your shoulder, as it can help prevent any further damage or pain. This is also vital if you aren’t sure of the extent of the damage, such as whether it’s a strain or something more serious, like a muscle tear.
Rest
Once stabilized, sit down and rest. While stabilizing the shoulder is important to prevent further damage, while you rest, be sure to do gentle shoulder shrugs or movements, as this will prevent your shoulder from getting stiff.
Use Ice Packs
Initially, apply ice packs and cold compresses to your shoulder. This can help reduce swelling, and reduce any pain you may be feeling by numbing the area. You should do this for at least 15 minutes every hour or every 2 hours for the first couple of days.
Also, be sure to not let the ice get in direct contact with the skin, as this can be painful, and in more extreme cases, the ice can stick to the skin and become very uncomfortable to use.
Switch to Heat Packs Later
Once the swelling has subsided, switch to heat packs. Heat will help your muscles relax and improve blood flow, which can reduce recovery time for the strain.
This should be a consistent practice. When you shower or bathe, use hot water and stand in it for an extended period; you will feel the benefits almost immediately.
Watch Your Posture
A smaller but no less important thing to remember is to keep your posture correct. Whether it is a shoulder, neck, or back strain, it can be very easy to sit or stand in a way that makes you feel more comfortable, but isn’t the best posture.
It is important to avoid this, as you can cause stiffness or strain in another part of your body. Ensuring you heal in the correct position will also prevent further strain over time.
Avoid Overhead Activities
While this may seem obvious, it is easy to forget how many movements we make every day that can strain the shoulder. It is best to avoid activities that require lifting your arms above your head in the first few days.
Beyond that, don’t forget that lifting things from the ground can cause the same amount of damage and pain.
Stretch Slowly & Carefully
After a couple of days, you should begin stretching. This will allow you to begin moving your shoulder again comfortably and in a controlled manner, and help you assess how far along you are in the healing process.
However, when stretching, only do what feels comfortable. The goal here isn’t to stretch through the pain, as that will only cause further pain.
Do Gentle, Range-of-Motion Exercises
Once you have been stretching for a few days, you can advance to range-of-motion exercises. These exercises can be anything from gentle arm circles and pendulum swings, to lifting light weights.
Once again, do not do anything that causes any pain, but rather do as much as you can before it becomes too uncomfortable, and then stop. These exercises should be performed daily until the pain has resolved; then you can resume your regular exercises and movements.
Don’t “Push Through” the Pain
As mentioned before, no matter what stage in the healing process you are in, “pushing through the pain” is never a good idea. In short, the pain you feel is your body telling you that you have reached your limit, and that going further will not benefit you.
Therefore, no matter what you are doing, always stop when you start feeling pain and then try again the next day. There is no need to rush the healing process; taking your time will help ensure there are no further problems down the road.
Warm Up Before Activities
Finally, during and after the healing process, always do a warm-up. One of the most common mistakes people make after a strain is going back to their regular routine when they think they are fully healed.
Warm-ups are not only a great thing to do to avoid strains completely, but they are also a must if you are prone to them or have had multiple strains to the same muscle or joint. If you have strained your shoulder multiple times, a warm-up should be part of your daily routine, no matter what you are doing.