Man with shoulder pain

Shoulder pain

Hydrotherapy for Shoulder Pain and Post-Surgery Recovery

Shoulder pain or surgery can significantly limit your movement, daily activities, and overall comfort. Whether you’re dealing with a painful condition like frozen shoulder or recovering from surgery, hydrotherapy offers a safe and effective way to relieve pain, restore function, and rebuild strength.

Why Hydrotherapy Works for Shoulder Pain and Recovery

Hydrotherapy leverages the natural properties of water, warmth, buoyancy, and resistance to create an ideal environment for rehabilitation. Here’s how it benefits patients with shoulder pain or post-surgery recovery:

1. Pain Relief Through Warmth

  • Warm water soothes sore muscles and reduces joint pain, allowing you to move more comfortably.
  • Increased circulation in the water promotes healing and reduces stiffness.
  • Unlike other heat therapies, hydrotherapy allows for full submersion of the shoulder, ensuring deep, even warmth reaches the joint for effective pain relief.

2. Buoyancy for Reduced Joint Stress

  • The buoyancy of water passively elevates the shoulder, reducing load on joints and soft tissues and supporting relaxed movement.
  • The arm automatically floats, which can help reduce muscle guarding and allow for gentle mobility exercises.
  • This support makes movement easier and less painful, encouraging gentle motion and reducing fear of movement.

3. Restoring Range of Motion

  • The weightless environment of water makes movement easier, especially when compared to the pain and stiffness often experienced on land.
  • Gravity-free movement allows for easier and less painful stretching and mobility work, leading to better carryover to land-based activities.
  • The warm water facilitates gentle stretching, promoting flexibility without excessive strain.

4. Targeted Strengthening

  • Water provides multidirectional resistance, unlike traditional land-based exercises that typically focus on one plane of movement at a time.
  • Because water is denser than air, every movement through it encounters natural resistance, helping to build muscle strength in a controlled and progressive manner.
  • The resistance can be modified by adjusting speed and surface area, allowing for tailored rehabilitation at every stage of recovery.

Patient journey

Take a look at some example Shoulder exercises for a patient with a fractured humerus in the shoulder joint

Common Shoulder Conditions We Treat

1. Post-Shoulder Injection

  • Hydrotherapy helps reduce residual pain and inflammation after injections, improving mobility and restoring function.

2. Frozen Shoulder (With or Without Hydrodilation)

Patients with frozen shoulder often experience extreme pain and stiffness. Hydrotherapy helps:

  • Reduce pain through warmth and buoyancy.
  • Gently restore range of motion and prevent further stiffness.
  • Build confidence in movement without the fear of causing harm.

3. Rotator Cuff Repair

After rotator cuff surgery, hydrotherapy provides a safe way to:

  • Start gentle, supported movement.
  • Rebuild strength in the repaired tendons and muscles.
  • Reduce pain and improve flexibility without overloading the joint.

4. Shoulder Replacement

Although less common, shoulder replacement patients benefit greatly from hydrotherapy, which helps:

  • Improve mobility and function in the new joint.
  • Reduce swelling and stiffness.
  • Strengthen surrounding muscles for better joint support.

Blog posts about Shoulder pain

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