Shoulder contracture: causes and treatments

A contracture is a condition characterised by excessive, prolonged muscle tension in a group of muscles. When it affects the shoulder, the contracture can become particularly painful and severely limit range of motion.

Find out everything you need to know about shoulder contracture, from the symptoms to the most common causes, as well as the best treatments to relieve it.

Recognising a shoulder contracture: the main symptoms

The main symptoms observed with a shoulder contracture are:

• Pain of varying intensity, mainly located in the shoulder, but which can spread to the neck and back,
• Tension and a feeling of stiffness in the neck,
• Loss of range of motion, particularly when raising the arm,
• Increased pain when the shoulder muscles are palpated,
• A muscle that feels hard to the touch,
• Etc.

The pain usually appears during intense physical exertion or a few hours afterwards. The symptoms disappear spontaneously after five to ten days.

Many types of muscle pain, such as cramps or muscle soreness, are often confused with contractures. However, it is possible to tell these muscle conditions apart by looking at when the pain appears and how long the symptoms last.

A shoulder cramp is characterised by very intense pain that only lasts a few minutes. Muscle soreness in the shoulder, on the other hand, appears between 12 and 48 hours after intense physical exertion and lasts between three and five days.

What are the causes and risk factors of a shoulder contracture?

Contractures mainly affect athletes and people over 50 due to tissue degeneration. However, other causes and risk factors can lead to the onset of a shoulder contracture.

The most common causes of a shoulder contracture include:

• Poor posture over long periods (sleep, office work, etc.),
• Intensive sport without warming up before exercise or stretching afterwards,
• A demanding job that puts significant strain on the shoulder muscles,
• A shoulder injury or trauma (wrong movement, bad fall, etc.),
• A sedentary lifestyle and age, and the resulting lack of muscle use,
• Stress and fatigue,
• An unhealthy lifestyle (lack of sleep, poor hydration, unbalanced diet, etc.).

When should you see a doctor for a shoulder muscle contracture?

It is generally not necessary to see a doctor for a shoulder contracture. It is a common, benign muscle condition that disappears spontaneously after a few days of rest.

If the pain persists for more than five days or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever or digestive problems, it is recommended to see a doctor.

If in doubt, it is always best to see a doctor. They will be able to identify the exact cause of the muscle pain and set up a suitable treatment plan.

Treatments to relieve a shoulder contracture

Here are some treatments that help relieve the main symptoms of a shoulder contracture and support recovery.

Note that these treatments are effective for all contractures, such as a trapezius contracture.

Rest

Rest is an essential part of treating a shoulder contracture. By allowing the muscles to rest for a few days, muscle tension decreases and the healing process is faster.

It is important to avoid overly intense demands on the shoulder muscles as much as possible until the symptoms disappear. Returning to sport or to work involving significant effort should ideally be approved by a healthcare professional and should involve a gradual increase in the level of effort.

Applying heat and cold

Applying heat and cold in the case of a muscle contracture in the shoulder helps reduce muscle tension and the pain felt.

Cold should only be used in the very first instance, when the muscle tension first appears, even before any other problem has been ruled out, such as a muscle tear, which would be a contraindication to applying a heat source.

Once the muscle contracture has been confirmed, only heat should be used.

Heat is particularly effective for relaxing tense muscles in the shoulder, which reduces feelings of stiffness and pain. Heat also helps eliminate accumulated toxins by improving blood circulation. Several simple methods can be used to apply heat, such as a hot bath or shower or a hot-water bottle, taking care not to burn the skin.

Cold, on the other hand, is used more for its natural numbing effect, which quickly reduces pain. Cold can also reduce any swelling and inflammation in the shoulder. It is recommended to apply an ice pack locally to the painful area to get the most out of the benefits of cold.

Electrostimulation

Electrostimulation is a natural, painless process that almost identically reproduces the natural contraction process of our muscles. Low-intensity electrical impulses are generated by a portable device and transmitted to the muscles via electrodes placed on the skin.

Electrotherapy is used by many athletes because of the many benefits it offers in the case of a shoulder injury, for example:

• Reduced pain thanks to the blocking of pain receptors and the production of endorphins,
• Faster recovery thanks to the massaging effect, which reduces muscle tension,
• Improved blood circulation and drainage of toxins,
• Etc.

Note that electrostimulation for a contracture that persists also helps combat muscle wasting. It is possible to strengthen the muscles gently and in a controlled way with electrostimulation.

How to relieve shoulder contractures with Bluetens?

Bluetens offers a wide range of electrostimulation programmes in its modern, intuitive app to treat certain specific conditions.

Here are two examples of programmes you can use to effectively relieve the symptoms of a shoulder contracture.

The “Sports massage” programme

The “Sports massage” programme helps you relieve pain and muscle tension in the case of a shoulder contracture. You can do up to three sessions a day depending on how severe your contracture is.

To access it, go to the “Single session” section from the home page of the app, then choose the “Relax” option and the body part “Shoulder”. Then select the “Sports massage” programme in the “Sports activities” section.

The “Muscle tension relief” programme

As its name suggests, the “Muscle tension relief” programme helps relieve muscle tension through a combination of pain relief and muscle relaxation. You can do up to three sessions a day.

To access it, go to the “Single session” section, then choose the “Cure” option and the body part “Shoulder”. Then select the “Muscle tension relief” programme in the “Muscle care” section.

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