Shoulder Pain Archives - MT Physio

Can’t Lift Your Arm? It Might Not Be What You Think

Mike Tuck — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 10:19:44 +0000

If lifting your arm above shoulder height has become painful or difficult, don’t assume you’ve torn something. Several shoulder conditions can cause similar symptoms, but the treatment depends on identifying the most likely cause.

Why won’t my arm lift?

The three most common causes are rotator cuff problems, frozen shoulder and shoulder arthritis. Although they can all make everyday activities such as dressing or reaching overhead uncomfortable, they behave differently and often need different treatment approaches.

A simple test you can try

Lift your sore arm as high as you comfortably can. Next, use your other hand or a stick to gently help the arm move further.

What might the result mean?

If your arm moves much higher with assistance, pain or muscle weakness may be limiting the movement. This pattern is commonly seen with rotator cuff problems.

If the shoulder stays stiff even when assisted, the joint itself may be restricted. Frozen shoulder and shoulder arthritis are common possibilities, although other conditions can also cause stiffness.

Can this test diagnose the problem?

No. This is not a diagnostic test. It simply helps distinguish between a shoulder that is mainly painful and weak and one that is genuinely stiff. A proper assessment is still needed to confirm the cause.

Treatment depends on the diagnosis

Rotator cuff problems often improve with a progressive strengthening programme.
Frozen shoulder is usually managed by maintaining gentle movement while the condition settles.
Shoulder arthritis often responds to exercise, activity modification and appropriate pain management.

When should you seek help?

Arrange an assessment if your pain has lasted more than a few weeks, your movement is worsening, you notice significant weakness, or the pain is affecting sleep or everyday activities.

Key takeaway

Not every painful shoulder is the same. Understanding whether your shoulder is weak and painful or genuinely stiff is the first step towards finding the right treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can shoulder arthritis stop me lifting my arm?

Yes. Arthritis can reduce shoulder movement and make lifting your arm painful, particularly as the joint becomes stiffer over time.

Do I need a scan?

Not always. Many shoulder problems can be diagnosed from your history and a physical examination. Scans are usually reserved for situations where they will change treatment.

Will exercises help?

In many cases, yes—but the right exercises depend on the diagnosis. Performing exercises designed for the wrong condition may delay recovery.

The post Can’t Lift Your Arm? It Might Not Be What You Think appeared first on MT Physio.

Unfreezing the Frozen Shoulder

Mike Tuck — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 19:09:42 +0000

Dealing with a frozen shoulder? You’re not alone. Adhesive Capsulitis, more commonly known as Frozen Shoulder can affect 1 in 12 women or 1 in 10 men of working age. It is a debilitating condition that can affect your quality of life.

Physiotherapy can stand as a beacon of hope. In this article, we are going to explore the ways that it can help you to manage your symptoms and make progress in helping you to overcome it.

Why does a Shoulder Freeze?

It’s not always clear why people develop frozen shoulders. The tissue around the shoulder becomes inflamed causing the tissues to shrink around the joint making it tight and this causes pain.

It can happen if there has been a period of inactivity of the shoulder over some time such as when having sustained an injury or undergone surgery. It can also affect people with Diabetes, although the reasons why this happens remain unknown.

Phases of Frozen Shoulder

The condition typically progresses through three phases:

Freezing/Painful Phase

Duration 6 weeks to 9 months.
The main symptom is a slow onset of pain.
As the pain progresses the shoulder starts to stiffen.
The pain can be intense and worsen at night.

Frozen/Adhesive Phase

Duration: 4-12 months.
The pain may begin to diminish although the shoulder may become stiffer.
There may be significant disruption to activities of daily living.

Thawing/Recovery Phase

Duration: 5 months to 24 months.
Gradual return to range of motion.
Pain starts to resolve.

physiotherapy: the unfreezing process begins

Physiotherapy can be effective in managing and potentially shortening the duration of symptoms associated with a frozen shoulder. Physio treatment aims to:

1. assessment and diagnosis

The start of the physiotherapy journey is a thorough assessment.

Your physio will take a detailed history and conduct a physical exam. This helps to confirm the diagnosis. At this stage pain levels and joint range of motion are recorded.

2. Pain Management

NSAIDS
Heat Therapy
TENS Machine
Acupuncture
Taping

NSAIDs – One of the main aspects of managing a Frozen Shoulder, particularly during the freezing stage, is reducing the pain. Whilst not specifically solving the condition directly, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) can help reduce inflammation and pain.

Heat Therapy – Heat Packs and compresses can help manage pain by increasing the blood flow to the area.

TENS Machine – These can be used to manage your pain. They are often used in conjunction with NSAIDs and Heat Therapy.

Acupuncture – Although there is limited research to back its use, many people experience good outcomes when having acupuncture to manage frozen shoulder pain.

Taping – This is not a treatment technique that I would recommend as a stand-alone treatment for managing pain but there has been some anecdotal evidence that suggests that it can be useful in conjunction with other modalities.

3. Mobilization Techniques

Glenohumeral Mobilization: This involves gentle movement of the ball and socket joint to improve mobility.
Scapular Mobilization: The shoulder blade plays a pivotal role in shoulder health. Techniques to manage it can significantly reduce pain and increase range.
Soft Tissue Mobilization: This focuses on the muscles and the tendons around the shoulder, increasing blood flow and reducing tension.

4. Targeted Exercises

Examples of these could include:

Pendulum Stretch – Stand and lean slightly forward, letting the affected arm hang down. Swing the arm in a small circle, gradually widening the circle over time. Use clockwise and anti-clockwise circles, circling for 30 seconds in each direction.
Towel Stretch – Hold a towel behind your back with both hands as if you’re about to dry your back. Pull upwards with the good arm to stretch the affected one and bring the hand up to the centre of your back or as far as the arm can go. Hold the stretch for about 20 seconds at a time.
Cross-body Stretch – Use the unaffected arm to lift the frozen arm at the elbow, stretching it across the body. Hold the stretch for 10-20 seconds.
Passive Flexion – Stand facing the back of a chair, your hands resting lightly on it. Slowly walk away leaving your hands on the chair until your arms are straight out in front of you. Bend forwards so that your head drops between your arms, or as far as you can manage. Hold the stretch for 10-20 seconds.

There are many other exercises that a Physiotherapist can describe and these will be tailored to you and will be dependent on the stage of frozen shoulder that you are in.

But for now, use the above four stretches to make a start.

5. Education and Prevention

Knowledge is power. Your physio will guide you on posture, ergonomics and everyday activities to make sure that you’re not only treating but preventing future occurrences.

SUCCESS STORIES

Julia - Freezing Stage

Julia is a 45-year-old mum of two and an avid tennis player. Following a fall onto her elbow playing tennis, she slowly started to develop the signs of a frozen shoulder. She booked an appointment after two weeks of increasing pain.

A thorough assessment was completed and a diagnosis of Frozen Shoulder (Freezing Stage) was given.

Her symptoms were characterised by intense pain especially when performing overhead activities or when reaching behind her back. Although stiff in all ranges the shoulder still maintained a reasonable (if not very painful) range of motion.

Treatment started with some gentle Glenohumeral and Scapula Mobilisations. This improved her range of motion and made it less stiff. A thorough exercise programme was designed which she was asked to complete twice a day.

Following this treatment strategy, we were able to completely resolve the condition within 4 sessions spaced over 6 weeks and she was back enjoying her tennis shortly after.

Duncan - Frozen Stage

Duncan is a 65-year-old retired Police Officer who presented with a one-year history of Frozen Shoulder. He had tried Physiotherapy unsuccessfully and had been referred to see an Orthopaedic specialist. The specialist had trialled an unsuccessful cortisone injection and had also recommended a Hydrodilation technique to forcibly break the adhesions with the shoulder. Duncan wanted to give conservative therapy another go before undertaking the procedure.

Duncan's pain was well managed. He revealed that he'd not previously been fully engaged with the Physiotherapy that he'd undertaken at another clinic and he was keen to make a start.

His range of motion was significantly reduced, particularly when moving his arm overhead or sideways away from his body. His pain had been improving and the pain was only now an issue when moving his arm in those directions or when lying on it for prolonged periods. It was preventing him from enjoying his gardening and spending time with his grandchildren.

During the assessment not only was his shoulder stiff but so was his thoracic spine. Treatment focused on some Scapula Mobilisations, Spinal Adjustment and soft tissue techniques. It was incredibly successful and after two weeks his flexion was almost full but remained limited away from the body.

Working hard with his home exercise programme for 6 weeks together with a total of 4 sessions of Physiotherapy he had regained almost full range of motion and he had transitioned strongly into the thawing stage.

He is no longer having to consider the additional Hydrodilation

Nigel - Thawing Phase

Nigel is 56 and is a plasterer. He had been struggling with a Frozen Shoulder for about 18 months.

He'd seen a doctor after 6 months of pain who had given him some generic exercises to do which he'd been doing intermittently as the shoulder naturally worked through the stages.

His pain was easing and his range of motion was improving steadily.

He had been unable to work for 18 months and came to me to help him to achieve this now his shoulder was easier.

After a few sessions of postural education, correction and exercise, he was able to return to work on a phased return initially but after 4 weeks of this, he is now back to work full-time.

To Wrap it up…

The journey of a frozen shoulder can be long and winding, but with the help of an experienced physiotherapist, it doesn’t have to be.

The holistic approach addresses not just the symptoms but also the root cause. It matches the correct therapy with the correct stage of the frozen shoulder.

This optimises recovery.

Remember that the goal isn’t just to melt the ice away but to try to prevent it from refreezing again in the future!

The post Unfreezing the Frozen Shoulder appeared first on MT Physio.

Which Physio should I see in Sudbury, Suffolk?

Mike Tuck — Fri, 07 May 2021 08:48:02 +0000

Which Physio should I see in Sudbury, Suffolk?

Mike Tuck is a Spinal and Chronic Pain Specialist Physiotherapist with over 40,000 hours of clinical experience in treating back pain. MT Physio Clinic is based on Alexandra Road in Sudbury.

What is Back Pain?

Back pain is a very common problem in the UK. It is estimated that over 80% of the population will experience at least one episode of back pain. It is classified as pain situated anywhere along the spine but is most commonly seen in the lower back. Pain can range in intensity and duration. Reassuringly, most back is not serious and resolves by itself.

Are there any risk factors for developing back pain?

Yes. Although anyone can experience back pain.

Some Risk Factors include:

Age – back pain is more common with advancing age and could be a result of decreased strength and muscle density. In fact, all the structures of the spine change in response to age. This is normal.
Job related reasons – Heavy, manual jobs can put our spines under more pressure for prolonged periods of time which could lead to pain as can sedentary jobs which could lead to weakening of the muscles and the spine in general.
Smoking – This causes reduced blood flow to the spine and it is believed that this leads to a faster rate of degenerative changes and slower healing times.
Fitness – People that are unfit are at risk of developing back pain, as are those people that start exercise regimes and start out by pushing themselves too hard and too soon.
Psychological Factors – Stress, depression and low mood can influence and increase the likelihood of developing back pain.
Weight Gain – A significant risk factor for developing back pain is being overweight

What to do if you develop back pain

Don’t panic! Most back pain episodes resolve if you follow the following advice:

Try and stay mobile. Bed rest for back pain has not been recommended since the 80’s!
Try some heat or ice over the sore area. 10 minutes at a time if using ice. Heat can be held on the affected side for longer. You could use a heat pack or hot water bottle for example.
Consider taking some over the counter medication such as ibuprofen if you have no medical reasons that would preclude you from having it.
Stress and anxiety can affect and amplify pain. Do your best to stay relaxed and distract yourself by reading a book, watching a TV show or going for a walk if your pain allows.
Do some gentle stretching. See what your body can tolerate and work into this.

When to see Mike at MT Physio Clinic

You can of course choose to see Mike whenever you would like to be assessed and in order to obtain a formal diagnosis and some treatment but as a rule of thumb, if you are struggling with back pain that is not referring into your legs, you should consider booking an appointment if any of the following applies:

If your pain is not settling after a week or two.
If your pain changes in intensity (for the worse) or changes in location.
If you are concerned about your pain.
Your pain is stopping you from sleeping.
You suddenly develop pain which radiates into your legs or symptoms of pins and needles, weakness or numbness in the legs or arms.

When should I seek immediate medical advice?

The NHS recommends that you should seek medical advice if you have back pain and:

Numbness or tingling around your genitals or buttocks
Difficulty peeing
Loss of bladder or bowel control – peeing or pooing yourself
Chest Pain
A high temperature
Unintentional weight loss
A swelling or deformity in your back
Severe, worsening night pain
It started as a result of a serious accident
The pain is so bad you are having problems sleeping
The pain is worse when sneezing, coughing or pooing
The pain is coming from the top of your shoulders, rather than your lower back

These problems could be the sign of something more serious and need to be checked urgently.

Is there anything I can do to prevent back pain?

Although ultimately there is nothing that you can do to stop ALL back pain and pain episodes. You should look to try the following in order to keep your spine and muscles strong and supple and look after your general health and well-being.

Do regular back strengthening and mobility exercises
Stay active generally – meaning cardiovascular exercise
Try not to sit for prolonged periods of time
Be careful when lifting and carrying heavy or awkward items
Lose weight if you are overweight
STOP SMOKING

Why Mike?

With over 40,000 hours of clinical experience in specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapy (and counting) and over 10 years’ experience of working as a spinal specialist, he has worked with and trained under some of the country’s best Orthopaedic Surgeons and Consultants. He uses best evidence based practices in order to diagnose and treat all aspects of spinal pain and dysfunction. He receives referrals direct from spinal surgeons and pain management consultants and also doctors and insurance companies. You can also self refer to see him in Sudbury, Suffolk. Book here: www.mtphysioclinic.co.uk

What can I expect from my first appointment?

Your first appointment will last approximately 45 minutes. A full history and thorough assessment will take place. It’s important to wear some loose-fitting clothing and you may be asked to remove some top layers in order for Mike to be able to see your spine and hips.

Following the assessment and with a working diagnosis obtained, you will have the opportunity to ask any questions that you have. A treatment plan will be discussed and once agreed upon will start in the initial session.

Treatments for back pain might include manual therapy (including manipulation, mobilisation) acupuncture, soft tissue work and exercise prescription.

If you are unsure if physiotherapy is for you, or if you’d like to have a chat before you book an appointment, please email Mike on info@mtphysioclinic.co.uk

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