Shoulder Protocols

Rotator Cuff Treatment

A rotator cuff tear involves one or more of the four shoulder-stabilizing muscles: supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis. In the MOON Shoulder Group cohort study (Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 2013), about 74% of patients with atraumatic full-thickness tears reported meaningful improvement with nonoperative treatment (physical therapy) at 2 years, supporting PT as an effective first-line approach.

Frozen Shoulder Treatment

Frozen shoulder is a condition where the capsule of the glenohumeral joint thickens and stiffens, causing painful loss of motion. A randomized controlled trial (Carey et al., BMJ, 2014) showed that supervised physical therapy combined with home exercise significantly improved shoulder function and pain compared with watchful waiting.

(SLAP) Labrum Treatment

A SLAP lesion is a tear of the fibrocartilaginous rim (labrum) at the top of the glenoid where the long head of the biceps tendon attaches, often involving pain with overhead activity. The Denard et al. study (Arthroscopy, 2012) reported that approximately 49% of patients treated with physical therapy avoided surgery and returned to activity with functional improvement.

Postural Related Shoulder Pain Exercises

Poor posture (e.g., forward head, rounded shoulders) alters scapular mechanics and overloads the trapezius, serratus anterior, and rotator cuff muscles, leading to shoulder pain. A systematic review (Brady et al., Manual Therapy, 2016) found that exercise-based postural correction programs reduced pain and disability in individuals with shoulder pain compared to usual care