Can we reduce shoulder pain with spas and swim spas?

Shoulder injuries such as rotator cuff injuries are very common among men and women. About 50 person of patients who suffer shoulder pain achieve decreased pain and increased function through non-surgical methods.

One of the most common injuries that causes shoulder pain is a torn rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles that help to keep the shoulder stable.

Rotator cuff injuries can be from injury to just one of the muscles, its ligament attachments or several.

Injuries happen because of chronic repetitive motions to the shoulder, trauma to the shoulder, or through the gradual ageing process, with excess participation in one or more activities.

When ligaments or muscles in the rotator cuff have been compromised, there can be a loss of range of motion along with considerable pain and reduced movement.
The movement of the shoulder, being a ball and socket joint, is multidimensional. If the muscles or ligaments are not working together, the head of the humerus bone does not move correctly in the joint which causes pain and spasms which restricts the movement of the shoulder.

You should always seek medical care to find out how much damage or how great the tears in the rotator cuff are for each injury. Your medical professional can assess the damage and set out a plan for recovery.

Decreasing pain levels with a spa or swim spa

Spas or swim spa can be one of the best healing tools for shoulder pain and can greatly help with the pain caused by rotator cuff injuries. With regular use spas and swim spas can speed up the healing process.

Once assessed, based on the medical plan, spas and swim spas can be a great asset for reducing pain and inflammation.

Non-surgical treatments for rotator cuff injuries

It is important to note that there is not complete evidence that surgery done immediately after the trauma can get better results than decreasing inflammation and increasing function before thinking about surgery.

It is common practice for many doctors to suggest non-surgical treatments first before operating on the rotator cuff.

The medical average is around 50% of the patients achieve decreased pain and increased function through non-surgical methods.

If the tear or damage is too great then prolotherapy, stem cell injections, or surgery are the only answers to restore the damage. The main concept is to remove the inflammation in the damaged or traumatized area of the shoulder.

Some people use natural supplements like Bromelain capsules (enzymes of pineapple) that help to reduce the inflammation.

Others like the homoeopathic use of Arnica Montana taken when feeling the pain to help with the discomfort and inflammation. Naturopathic practitioners can also offer a product called Traumeel in many forms that can also help tremendously.

Spas and swim spas exercises to reduce shoulder pain

Shoulder circles

When kneeling or standing, depending on your height, in your spa or swim spa, relax your arm and submerge (dunk) your shoulder in the water while making small circles in one direction with the arm.

Not forcing the arm, just slowly moving the arm and the shoulder. After 30 to 60 seconds, begin to make a larger circle in the same direction. Repeat this in the opposite direction in the spa pool or swim spa.

I would also then change to the other arm even if it were not affected because the nerves serve both sides and balancing what you do to both sides is important.

Pulling and pushing for muscle strengthening

Hold the side of the spa pool or swim spa with both hands on the edge, and slowly, very slowly, pull yourself inward towards the side of the spa pool or swim spa and then push out slowly again in a repetitive motion.

This works a different set of muscles that are often involved in the rotator cuff injury.

Take a break after 10 minutes or so and sit on the edge of the spa pool or swim spa and ice the sore parts for 5 minutes. Then get back into the water and continue your movements of the joint for another 10 minutes or so.

Then ice again before getting out of the spa pool or swim spa. Remember, that ice causes blood circulation deep within the joint better than heat.

By using the heat of the spa and the intermittent ice, you will get a better result overall with the reversing of temperatures helping the muscles and ligaments to contract. Since ligaments do not have blood, this hot and cold treatment while in the spa pool will assist in their healing more fully.

Avoid doing push-ups on the side of the spa or swim spa, most rotator cuff injuries do not tolerate extreme weight-bearing while healing.

Remember, it's a journey

I hope this information helps you in your journey to recovery. May you find comfort in your spa and swim spa as you recover from a rotator cuff injury.

Be well and try to see your injured body already healed as you begin, it makes the voyage so much quicker.

By Dr Kyle Neeley

Disclaimer The advice given in the blogs is about creating new ideas and possibilities that people might not have thought of for helping themselves. Some of the ideas are from recent or past research, some are from helping patients find solutions in clinical settings, and some are things that have worked for several patients. The main point is that we are not diagnosing your condition, its level, the many symptoms and issues that can come with any disorder, and making direct recommendations to your specific condition. These ideas are meant to spark ideas that you can discuss with your health practitioner and get direct advice on your specific condition. This gives you the greatest level of protection and knowing that if you take the ideas and put them into practice that they will not harm you in any way.