Shoulder Pain Relief

Rediscover Life Without Shoulder Pain

Renowned as a marvel of human anatomy, the shoulder joint offers unparalleled mobility and flexibility, enabling us to perform a myriad of tasks, from reaching out for a book on the top shelf to throwing the perfect spiral with a football. Yet, this exceptional range of motion comes at a price. Over time, instability or impingement of the soft tissues or bony structures in your shoulder may cause discomfort and pain. This pain might be transient or persisting, may manifest only when you move, or may be a constant presence, prompting the need for professional intervention.

We're pleased to share that minor shoulder pain frequently shows a promising response to strategies such as physical therapy, the use of shoulder supports, upholding a healthy lifestyle, all of which can bring about substantial relief. Here at PhysioFit, we comprehend that each person's journey to a pain-free life is distinct. We're dedicated to delivering personalized, science-backed treatments with a fitness-centric approach to effectively ease your shoulder discomfort, helping you return to your everyday activities.

What You Should Know

The human body's most versatile joint, the shoulder, owes its expansive motion range to a quartet of muscles and their corresponding tendons, collectively known as the rotator cuff.

Intriguingly, shoulder pain may sometimes be a symptom of an issue originating from another part of the body, such as the neck or lungs. This phenomenon, known as referred pain, typically presents as a persistent ache that doesn't worsen with shoulder movement.

Shoulder discomfort or pain can result from inflammation, injury, or bone alterations surrounding the rotator cuff.

A proper diagnosis of a shoulder problem involves a thorough evaluation from a professional

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Understanding the Common Causes of Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is a complex joint, and it's susceptible to a variety of injuries and conditions. Here are some of the most common causes of shoulder pain:

Dislocation: This happens when the top of your arm is pulled back excessively or rotated too far, causing it to pop out of its socket. Symptoms include pain, weakness, swelling, numbness, and bruising in the shoulder.

Separation: This injury affects the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, where the collarbone and shoulder blade meet. A hard blow or fall can tear the ligaments, leading to a visible bump on top of your shoulder due to a displaced collarbone.

Fracture: A fall or severe blow can result in a broken or cracked bone. The clavicle (collarbone) and humerus (upper arm bone) are most prone to fractures, leading to intense pain, bruising, and restricted movement.

Cartilage Tear: Repeated motion, a fall, or a significant force can damage the cartilage that cushions your shoulder joint. Symptoms include pain during overhead reach, shoulder weakness, and a sensation of catching, locking, or grinding.

Rotator Cuff Tear: The group of muscles and tendons comprising your rotator cuff secure your arm in place and enable overhead lifting. Overuse, falls, or natural aging can cause damage, leading to pain (particularly at night), reduced lifting ability, and a crackling sound during movement.

Frozen Shoulder: Characterized by restricted joint movement, this condition is caused by the build-up of abnormal tissue bands (adhesions) within the joint, often following pain or surgery-induced disuse.

Impingement: This occurs when the tendons of the rotator cuff are pinched between the shoulder bones, causing pain and swelling, particularly in individuals who frequently lift their arms overhead.

Bursitis: Overuse, repetitive motions, or an injury can inflame the bursa (a fluid-filled sac that cushions the joint), leading to pain, especially during shoulder movement.

Apart from these, other potential causes of shoulder pain include: Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Heart attack, Bone Spurs, Referred pain, and Tendinitis.

Remember, if you resonate with any of the symptoms or conditions mentioned, we highly recommend making an appointment with us for a thorough evaluation and personalized treatment plan.

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Preventive Measures for Shoulder Pain

The bright side of shoulder issues is that they can often be resolved without resorting to surgery. However, prevention is always better than cure, and here are some ways you can safeguard your shoulders.

Heed Your Body's Signals: Do not dismiss shoulder discomfort that follows any activity. If the pain is intense and persistent, consult your doctor. Remember, enduring unnecessary pain might only exacerbate the situation.

Maintain Overall Health: Stay in prime physical condition with regular exercise and a balanced diet. It's not just a ticket to overall wellness, but it also helps in warding off potential injuries.

Adopt Correct Exercise Habits: Ensure a proper warm-up before your workouts. Gradually ease into a sport or activity if you've been inactive for a while. Learn and adhere to the correct techniques of weight lifting, and avoid lifting beyond your capacity.

Stay Safe at Work: Be conscious of your shoulder health in your work environment -

Prioritize good posture, whether you're sitting or standing.
Follow safe lifting practices. Maintain a straight back and leverage your leg strength.
Every hour, take a few minutes to move around and stretch.
If your job involves a desk, ensure your workstation is ergonomically set up for comfortable computer use.

Avoid Overreaching: When you need to access high places, use a step stool. Arrange frequently used items within easy reach, in lower drawers or shelves.

Remember, caring for your shoulder health can keep you active and pain-free in the long run.

Common Symptoms of Shoulder Pain

Heat or a reddened appearance in your shoulder

Restricted arm mobility

Stiffness and reduced strength in your muscles

A sensation of clicking, popping, or grinding during arm movements

Discomfort in your neck, arm, or back

Remember, if you resonate with any of the symptoms or conditions mentioned, we highly recommend making an appointment with us for a thorough evaluation and personalized treatment plan.

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

Please Note: The information provided on our website is intended for general education and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Each individual's situation and body is different. Therefore, what may work for one person may not work for another. We care about your well-being and advise you to reach out to us to discuss your specific needs before implementing any advice from our website.

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Split image showing a woman pushing hard on an air bike (left) and another woman meditating in a calm yoga pose (right), representing the contrast between high-intensity training and recovery, used in a PhysioFIT Bend Oregon sports medicine blog post.

Avoid the "Always In Season" Training Mistake | PhysioFIT Bend Oregon

Outdoor Activities| Fitness

May 14, 2025•4 min read

Whether you’re chasing PRs, hiking Pilot Butte every weekend, or grinding it out at the gym between work and family, here’s a hard truth most active adults in Bend, Oregon don’t want to hear:

You might be training like you’re always in season… and that’s a problem.

At PhysioFIT at The Performance Collective, we work with athletes of all kinds—from mountain bikers and CrossFitters to weekend warriors and backcountry skiers. And one of the most common mistakes we see? People treating their bodies like they're always on. Always pushing. Never pausing. Never rebuilding.

The Athlete's Secret: Training in Phases

Professional athletes don’t train the same way year-round. Their entire performance strategy is built around periodization—structured phases of stress, recovery, adaptation, and peak performance. That cycle revolves around two core phases:

1. In-Season Phase: Maintain + Compete

This is where most of us think we should live. The “go-time” mode. The sexy part. The performance stage.

But in-season training is not about growth—it’s about preservation. It’s about doing just enough to maintain your edge, avoid injury, and stay sharp during competition or peak activity windows.

Here’s what smart in-season training looks like:

Prioritizing recovery over volume
Avoiding spikes in load or intensity
Monitoring for fatigue and overuse warning signs
Maintaining mobility and joint health through prehab routines
Staying consistent but conservative with strength training

Think of it as treading water at a high level—not sinking, not surging.

2. Off-Season Phase: Rebuild + Reset

Now here’s where the magic happens—and it’s where most active adults fall short.

The off-season is not about getting soft. It’s about getting smart.

You’re not backing off because you’re weak. You’re backing off to build back stronger. This is your chance to:

✅ Heal micro-tears in muscle and connective tissue
✅ Address mobility restrictions and movement inefficiencies
✅ Rebalance strength across joints and muscle groups
✅ Develop better mechanics and foundational endurance
✅ Focus on the little things that make a big difference when you’re back in go-mode

Skipping this phase is like skipping leg day for your whole body. Eventually, the imbalance will catch up with you—usually in the form of nagging pain, poor performance, or injury.

Why Always Being “In-Season” Wears You Down

Here’s what we see at PhysioFIT all the time:

🚫 Low-grade fatigue that just won’t go away
🚫 Flat workouts even with plenty of sleep and nutrition
🚫 Nagging tendon pain in the knees, shoulders, or elbows
🚫 Back tightness or joint pain that creeps up after every session
🚫 A growing pile of PT sessions, chiro visits, and massage appointments that treat symptoms but not the root cause

The root cause? You never gave your body time to adapt.

Active Adults Need Off-Seasons More Than Pros

Here’s the kicker: If you’re not a professional athlete, you might need an off-season even more.

Why? Because you’re juggling stressors athletes don’t have to deal with:

Long work hours
Parenting
Poor sleep
Travel
Deadlines
Mental fatigue

All of these increase your overall load—even before you step into the gym. That’s why many of our Bend clients at PhysioFIT perform better once they adopt a smarter, season-based approach to their training.

How to Build Your Own Training Seasons (Without a Coach)

Even if you’re not prepping for the Olympics, you can use the same principles:

✅ Step 1: Pick Your “Competition Season”

Choose 1–2 times per year where you’ll push hard—races, ski trips, backpacking adventures, etc.

✅ Step 2: Plan a Structured Off-Season

2–3 months of reduced load, increased mobility work, and strength training to fix weak links.

✅ Step 3: Layer in a Pre-Season Phase

4–8 weeks before go-time, ramp up intensity and sport-specific training.

✅ Step 4: Check in with a Physio

Get assessed. Address compensations. Test your strength and mobility objectively. (We use force plates, dynamometers, and advanced movement screens at PhysioFIT.)

Conclusion

You can’t just keep hammering and expect to level up.

Recovery is the gateway to performance.

By learning to respect both the in-season and off-season phases, you’ll unlock:

✅ More gains
✅ Fewer injuries
✅ Better energy
✅ Longer athletic longevity
✅ More fun doing what you love

And that’s what we’re all about at PhysioFIT.

Ready to Reset?

If you’re stuck in permanent “go” mode and your body’s giving you warning signs, it’s time for a smarter approach. At PhysioFIT at The Performance Collective in Bend, Oregon, we help active adults and recreational athletes build personalized performance plans that respect the cycle—and get results.

Schedule a recovery & performance assessment with one of our sports therapy specialists today.

Sources:

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