Shoulder Muscle Strain & Tear Treatment in Kilsyth | Physiotherapy & Myotherapy
What Is a Shoulder Muscle Strain or Tear?
A shoulder muscle strain or tear occurs when muscle fibres or the muscle-tendon unit are overstretched or damaged. Muscle strains can range from mild overstretching and small amounts of tissue damage through to more significant tears involving a larger portion of the muscle.
The shoulder relies on a combination of muscles to provide movement, strength and stability. Muscles commonly involved in shoulder injuries include the rotator cuff muscles, deltoid and muscles surrounding the shoulder blade and upper back.
A shoulder muscle strain or tear can occur suddenly during sport, exercise or lifting, or develop gradually following repetitive activity or increasing training loads. Shoulder muscle strains and tears can sometimes cause symptoms similar to other shoulder
conditions, including rotator cuff injuries, shoulder impingement, shoulder bursitis and sporting shoulder injuries. A Physiotherapy assessment can help determine which structures may be contributing to your symptoms.
What Are the Symptoms of a Shoulder Muscle Strain or Tear?
Symptoms vary depending on the location and severity of the injury.
Common symptoms may include:
- Sudden or gradual shoulder pain
- Pain when moving the arm
- Pain during lifting or reaching
- Pain with pushing or pulling
- Muscle tenderness
- Weakness in the affected shoulder
- Reduced shoulder range of movement
- Pain during sport or exercise
- Pain when stretching the affected muscle
- Pain when contracting the affected muscle
- Swelling around the injured area
- Bruising, particularly following a more significant tear
- Muscle tightness or protective guarding
A more significant muscle tear may cause sudden pain, noticeable weakness or difficulty using the affected arm.
What Causes Shoulder Muscle Strains and Tears?
Shoulder muscle injuries can occur for a number of reasons. They commonly happen when a muscle is exposed to more force or load than it is currently able to tolerate.
Sudden Movements
A sudden forceful movement, such as throwing, pulling, lifting or reaching, can place significant stress on the shoulder muscles.
Sporting Injuries
Shoulder muscle strains and tears can occur in sports involving throwing, overhead movements, contact or rapid changes in direction.
Common examples include:
- Tennis
- Cricket
- Swimming
- Volleyball
- Australian Rules Football
- Basketball
- Rugby
- Baseball
Gym and Weight Training
Muscle strains can occur during resistance training, particularly when lifting heavy loads, increasing training volume quickly or performing an exercise the body is not accustomed to.
Exercises involving pressing, pulling, overhead movements and heavy upper-body loading may aggravate an already overloaded shoulder muscle.
Repetitive Overuse
Repeated movements without adequate recovery can gradually increase muscle fatigue and sensitivity. This may occur with repetitive work, sporting training or frequent gym sessions.
Sudden Increases in Activity
Increasing the intensity, frequency or duration of exercise too quickly can place additional demands on the shoulder muscles.
What Is the Difference Between a Shoulder Muscle Strain and a Tear?
The terms “strain” and “tear” are often used to describe the same type of muscle injury, but they can refer to different levels of tissue damage. A mild strain may involve overstretching or minor damage to muscle fibres. A more significant injury can involve a partial tear, where some fibres are damaged, or a complete tear, where the muscle or its tendon is severely disrupted.
The severity of the injury can affect recovery time and the type of rehabilitation required. If you experience sudden severe pain, significant weakness, bruising or difficulty moving your shoulder after an injury, a Physiotherapy assessment is recommended.
How Are Shoulder Muscle Strains and Tears Diagnosed?
Your Physiotherapist will assess your symptoms, the mechanism of injury and how your shoulder is functioning.
Your assessment may include:
- Shoulder range of movement
- Muscle strength
- Pain during specific movements
- Muscle tenderness
- Functional movements
- Sport-specific movements
- Resistance testing
- Shoulder stability
- Shoulder blade movement
- Neck and upper back function
Imaging such as ultrasound or MRI may sometimes be recommended when a significant tear is suspected or when further investigation is required.
How Does Physiotherapy Help Shoulder Muscle Strains and Tears?
Physiotherapy can play an important role in recovering from a shoulder muscle strain or tear. Treatment is adjusted according to the severity and stage of the injury, with the aim of gradually restoring movement, strength and the ability to tolerate normal activities.
Depending on your injury, treatment may include education, activity modification, advice regarding work, sport and exercise, pain management, manual therapy, soft tissue treatment, joint mobilisation, dry needling, progressive strengthening, movement retraining, sport specific rehabilitation and return-to-work or return-to-sport rehabilitation.
Your rehabilitation program will be progressed according to how your shoulder responds to increasing loads.
What Exercises Help a Shoulder Muscle Strain or Tear?
Exercise is an important part of rehabilitation for most shoulder muscle injuries. The exercises prescribed will depend on the severity and stage of your injury and may include gentle movement, isometric strengthening, rotator cuff and deltoid strengthening, shoulder blade control exercises, progressive resistance training, functional strengthening, endurance exercises,
plyometric exercises, sport-specific strengthening and return-to-training exercises.
Exercises should be progressed gradually to restore the muscle’s ability to tolerate the demands of work, exercise and sport.
When Should I Start Exercising After a Shoulder Muscle Tear?
The appropriate time to begin exercise depends on the severity of the injury. Complete rest is not always necessary, but exercises that significantly increase pain or place excessive stress on the injured tissue may need to be avoided initially.
Your Physiotherapist can determine which movements are appropriate at each stage and gradually increase the amount of load as the muscle recovers.
How Does Myotherapy Help Shoulder Muscle Strains and Tears?
Myotherapy can complement Physiotherapy during the rehabilitation of a shoulder muscle injury. Treatment may focus on surrounding muscles that have become tight, overloaded or sensitive as a result of the injury or changes in movement.
Depending on your individual presentation, our Myotherapists may treat muscles around the shoulder, neck, chest, upper back and shoulder blade using techniques such as deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, myofascial release, dry needling, cupping therapy, stretching, mobility exercises and corrective exercises.
Myotherapy does not directly repair a torn muscle. Instead, it may help manage associated muscular tension and discomfort as part of a broader rehabilitation approach.
How Long Does a Shoulder Muscle Strain or Tear Take to Heal?
Recovery time depends on the severity and location of the injury. Milder strains may improve over several weeks, while more significant muscle tears can take considerably longer to recover.
Recovery can be influenced by the severity and size of the tear, its location, previous shoulder injuries, physical condition, work and sporting demands, training load, rehabilitation progression and whether the muscle is repeatedly aggravated.
Your physiotherapist can provide a more personalised recovery timeframe after assessing your shoulder.
Can I Go to the Gym With a Shoulder Muscle Strain?
You may be able to continue exercising with appropriate modifications, depending on the severity of your injury.
Exercises that do not aggravate the injured shoulder may be able to continue, while movements that place excessive load on the affected muscle may need to be temporarily modified.
Rather than stopping all exercise, your Physiotherapist can help you develop a safe training plan while your shoulder recovers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shoulder Muscle Strains and Tears
Looking for Shoulder Muscle Strain & Tear Treatment in Kilsyth?
Whether your shoulder injury occurred during sport, at the gym, at work or during everyday activities, getting the right assessment can help you understand what is causing your pain and how to safely return to normal activity.
At Physio Elements in Kilsyth, our experienced Physiotherapists and Myotherapists can help manage shoulder muscle strains, tears and other shoulder injuries with personalised assessment and rehabilitation.
Book an appointment with Physio Elements today to have your shoulder assessed and start working towards a stronger and more functional shoulder.
Article reviewed by:
Jordan Tierney, Qualified Myotherapist, Advanced Diploma of Myotherapy, Physio Elements, Kilsyth. Nisha, Physiotherapist at Physio Elements, Kilsyth. Master of Physiotherapy (Orthopaedics, Sports & Manual Therapy), University of South Australia.