Shoulder Pain Assessment & Treatment in Birmingham
Physiotherapy-led care for shoulder pain, stiffness, injury and movement problems.
Shoulder pain can affect sleep, work, sport and daily movement. It may be linked with frozen shoulder, rotator cuff problems, bursitis, osteoarthritis, injury or post-surgical stiffness.
At The Podiatry Clinic in Harborne, we assess your symptoms and explain the most suitable treatment pathway.
Pain or stiffness?
Help for shoulder pain, reduced movement, painful lifting and recurring flare-ups.
Sleep affected?
Shoulder pain that affects sleep, dressing, work or activity is worth assessing.
Clear treatment plan
Care may include physiotherapy, exercises, manual therapy, ultrasound or selected injection options.
Shoulder pain can have more than one cause
The shoulder is a highly mobile joint, so pain can come from the joint itself, surrounding tendons, bursae, capsule, muscles or previous injury.
Assessment helps decide whether symptoms appear consistent with a specific shoulder condition and which treatment options are appropriate.
- Pain when lifting or reaching
- Stiffness or reduced movement
- Pain lying on the shoulder
- Weakness, catching or painful arcs of movement
Conditions that can cause shoulder pain
Several shoulder problems can feel similar. Your assessment helps decide what is most relevant to your symptoms.
Frozen shoulder
Pain and stiffness that gradually worsens as the capsule around the shoulder tightens.
Rotator cuff tear or tendinopathy
Pain linked with the tendons that help lift, rotate and stabilise the shoulder.
Osteoarthritis
Wear-and-tear change in the shoulder joint that can cause pain, stiffness and reduced movement.
Subacromial bursitis
Irritation of the bursa around the shoulder, often painful with movement or lifting.
Shoulder dislocation rehab
Physiotherapy support after dislocation to restore movement and reduce re-injury risk.
Post-surgery rehabilitation
Guided rehabilitation after shoulder replacement or other shoulder procedures.
What happens during your shoulder pain assessment?
Your clinician will listen to your symptoms, assess movement, strength and painful positions, then explain the likely problem and most sensible treatment route.
We listen
How it started, what movements hurt, whether sleep is affected and what you have already tried.
We assess
Movement, strength, stiffness, tendon signs and other clinical findings where relevant.
We plan
You receive clear guidance on treatment, exercises, ultrasound, injection options or referral if needed.
How shoulder pain may be treated
Treatment depends on the likely cause, your movement, symptom severity and activity goals.
Short-term changes to aggravating movements can help settle symptoms while treatment begins.
Mobility, strength and control work to improve movement, function and confidence.
Hands-on treatment may be used where suitable for stiffness, soft tissue pain or mobility.
Symptom-management advice can be tailored to your presentation and medical history.
Point-of-care ultrasound can help assess soft tissues around the shoulder where relevant.
Steroid or ultrasound-guided injection options may be considered after appropriate assessment.
Further assessment and guided treatment where suitable
Diagnostic ultrasound can be performed alongside musculoskeletal assessment and may provide additional information about soft tissues around the shoulder. Injection options may be discussed after appropriate assessment.
Shoulder pain questions, answered
Helpful answers before booking a shoulder pain assessment in Harborne, Birmingham.
Call the clinic and the team can guide you towards the most suitable appointment.
Call 0121 285 5656Shoulder pain may come from frozen shoulder, rotator cuff problems, osteoarthritis, bursitis, dislocation, injury or post-surgical stiffness.
Not everyone needs a scan. Diagnostic ultrasound may be useful where soft tissue, tendon, bursa or injection-planning information could help.
Yes. Physiotherapy may include advice, exercises, movement work, strengthening and treatment planning based on the likely cause.
Steroid injections can be considered for selected shoulder conditions after assessment, discussion of risks, benefits and alternatives.
Yes. Reduced movement, stiffness, pain affecting sleep or pain limiting work and activity should be assessed.
Ready to have your shoulder pain assessed?
Book online or call the clinic if you are unsure which appointment is right for you.