Shoulder Pain
Why can I reach the top shelf, but grabbing my seat belt hurts?
What happens at my first visit?
Show me the seat-belt reach. I might change how far back you reach or how your arm is supported, then check the same reach with you.
During treatment, we’ll check the movement again and use what changes to decide what to try next. [11]
Free 30- to 45-minute hands-on evaluation in Clovis. Choose whether to continue. One-on-one treatment is $200 per hour.
Near Willow and Nees in North Clovis · Open in Google Maps
Is the reach painful, or is the shoulder getting harder to move?
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that helps move and support your shoulder. It can be involved when reaching hurts. If the shoulder is losing motion even when someone helps you move it, I’ll consider frozen shoulder. If symptoms travel down your arm, I may check your neck as well. [1, 2, 3]
Show me where the reach starts to hurt
Is it when you start to lift, when you get to the shelf, or when you bring the dish back down? I might change the weight or how your arm is supported and have you do the same reach. If it feels the same, that’s my cue to look somewhere else in the movement. [4]
Can you put away the whole stack of dishes?
One reach in the clinic is a good start. How your shoulder feels by the last dish tells us what you can use at home. We can work on the height, weight, or number of reaches. In the GRASP trial, a program with multiple visits didn’t outperform one visit with advice and exercises at 12 months. How much help you need depends on what you’re trying to do and how it’s going. [5, 6]
Frequently asked questions
What if someone can move my arm farther than I can on my own?
I compare how far your arm goes with help and on its own, and ask where the pain starts in each. That helps me decide what to check next. I’ll talk you through the movement before we try it.
The reach felt easier here. Will I notice it the next time I get in the car?
Use your usual seat-belt reach as the comparison. Notice where the discomfort begins and whether you still hesitate before reaching. That helps us judge how much of the change made it home with you.
Why does my arm feel fine reaching for a mug but hurt putting it back?
I’d ask you to show me both directions. We can compare lifting and lowering at a height and weight you tolerate, then use what you feel to choose which part of the reach to work on.
Why can I reach overhead once but struggle when I put away a stack of dishes?
Tell me when the reach starts changing. We can compare one comfortable reach with the point at which the task starts to feel harder, and use that to decide whether height, weight, or repetitions deserve the first look.
Do I need an MRI before I start?
The history and exam guide that decision. Imaging may help after certain injuries or when the result would change care. Rotator cuff tears also show up in people without pain, so we interpret a scan alongside what you feel and what you can do. [7, 8]
Does shoulder pain mean I need surgery?
It depends on the injury and exam. For persistent pain under the top of the shoulder, trials of one specific procedure, subacromial decompression, found no meaningful added benefit over placebo surgery. If an injury leaves you suddenly unable to lift your arm or noticeably weaker, get it checked promptly. [9, 10]
Why does it hurt more at night?
Tell me whether it starts when you lie on that side, wakes you in other positions, or is there throughout the day. Those differences help guide the assessment.
What if it still hurts in the same spot when I reach again?
Tell me right there. I might support your arm differently or check another part of the reach. You shouldn’t have to wait until the next visit to tell me the first thing we tried made no difference.
What should I bring to the evaluation?
Bring one or two examples you want to get back to, like lifting a carry-on or sleeping on your side. If you have imaging or notes from an earlier injury, bring those too.