You spent the weekend painting a bedroom, washing windows or weeding your garden and now your shoulder is sore. Sound familiar? Whether it’s a home improvement project or some serious gardening, it’s common to feel aches and pains in your shoulder afterward. But how do you know if it’s just a strain or something more serious?
Anup Shah, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Banner - University Medicine, filled us in on what types of home improvement projects can cause shoulder injuries, how to treat these injuries at home and when you should seek treatment.
Why could your shoulder be sore?
“The shoulder is a complex set of joints with multiple moving parts, including bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It’s one of the most mobile joints in the body and it’s designed for motion, but not for heavy or prolonged, repetitive stresses or strains. Pulling, pushing, lifting, reaching or even hammering can overload your shoulder and cause joint pain,” Dr. Shah said.
Many weekend activities can trigger pain, including:
- Repeat motions like painting, raking or hammering
- Things like trimming hedges or working overhead where you’re in awkward positions
- Lifting boxes, soil, mulch, furniture, equipment or other heavy items
- Working with unfamiliar tools
- Using muscles you don’t usually use in your everyday activities
These types of motions can stress parts of your shoulder, like the rotator cuff, tendons or bursa (fluid-filled sacs). If these parts of your shoulder get irritated or inflamed, it can lead to pain, stiffness and even temporary loss of movement.
What are some signs of a minor shoulder strain?
It can be normal to feel sore within 24 hours of a physical task. Common signs of overuse injury or mild shoulder strain include:
- A dull ache or stiffness
- Mild swelling
- Pain when you’re raising or rotating your arm
- Pain that eases up when you rest and take over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication
How can you treat shoulder pain at home?
If your shoulder pain seems mild, you may not need professional treatment. You can try:
- Rest: Avoid tasks that irritate the joint.
- Ice: Apply cold packs for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, a few times a day, soon after an injury.
- Heat: Warm compresses can help with ongoing pain after the first couple of days.
- Medication: Use ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to reduce pain and inflammation.
- Gentle stretches: After a couple of days, once pain has improved, start with light movement to help with your shoulder’s range of motion.
- Support at night: Use a pillow to keep your arm in a comfortable position when you sleep.
Once your shoulder feels better, you can help lower your risk of reinjuring it with a shoulder maintenance exercise program and proper lifting, pulling and overhead techniques. Talk to your health care provider or a physical therapist for recommendations and advice.
When should you see a doctor?
Sometimes, you shouldn’t treat shoulder pain on your own. Your shoulder pain might need medical care if:
- The pain is intense, sharp, shooting or getting worse
- You notice weakness, instability, bruising, deformity or clicking
- You have pain even at rest
- The pain keeps you awake at night
- It’s hard to reach, lift or rotate your arm
- You felt a sensation like a rip, pop or tear
- The pain has lasted for a week or two
- Pain doesn’t improve in a week or two
- You’ve had similar injuries in the past
“Shoulder pain could be caused by a rotator cuff tear, labral tear, arthritis that’s getting worse or other conditions,” Dr. Shah said. Getting an accurate diagnosis can help you avoid long-term problems and get back to your routine faster.
Shoulder pain could also be caused by a neck issue. “Neurological symptoms such as numbness, tingling or shooting pain that goes past the elbow and into the hand are often from the neck,” Dr. Shah said. A health care provider can help figure out where your shoulder pain is starting from.
How can Banner Health help?
At Banner Health, our orthopedic team is here to help you recover and prevent future injuries. We offer:
- Expert evaluation and diagnosis
- Imaging and other tests, when needed
- Personalized treatment plans, including physical therapy
- Surgery, when necessary
Whether your pain is from a DIY project or a chronic issue, we’ll help you feel better and stay active. Connect with a shoulder or orthopedic specialist at Banner Health who can diagnose and treat your pain.
