Shoulder Pain Rehabilitation in North Vancouver
Shoulder pain often has more to do with your mid-back and shoulder blade control than with the shoulder joint alone. I assess your whole movement system, not just the painful area, so we can identify what's actually contributing to your shoulder pain and build a plan that addresses it, not just the symptom in front of us.
Your Injury Has a Cause. Let's Find It.
What is causing your pain?
Shoulder pain is a common reason active people come into the office, and it's a joint where the wrong diagnosis can lead to a lot of wasted time. Getting the right diagnosis is what determines the right treatment. Here are some of the conditions I most commonly assess and treat:
Subacromial Impingement Syndrome
This happens when the rotator cuff tendons become irritated or compressed as they pass through a narrow space in the shoulder, commonly causing pain with overhead reaching or lifting.
Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)
Frozen shoulder is a gradual thickening and tightening of the shoulder joint capsule that causes progressive stiffness and pain, often developing without an obvious injury.
Rotator Cuff Tear
A rotator cuff tear is a partial or complete tear in one of the tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint, which can happen suddenly from a fall or gradually through wear over time.
AC Joint Sprain
An AC joint sprain is an injury to the joint at the top of the shoulder where the collarbone meets the shoulder blade, usually caused by a fall directly onto the shoulder or an outstretched arm.
Shoulder Instability (Labral Injury)
Shoulder instability involves looseness or injury to the labrum, the ring of cartilage that helps keep the shoulder joint in place, often resulting from a dislocation or repetitive overhead activity.
What to expect during your session.
1
Comprehensive assessment
Every visit starts with a full movement and clinical assessment of your shoulder and how it connects to your mid-back and shoulder blade control, so we understand what's actually driving your symptoms before recommending any treatment.
2
A plan build around you
From there, we build an individualized plan that combines manual therapy with active, exercise-based rehabilitation. You'll know exactly what we're addressing, why, and what the process looks like going forward.
3
Built for long-term resilience
We track your progress at every visit, reassessing regularly and adjusting your plan as you improve. The goal is genuine, long-term resilience and a real return to the activities you care about, not an open-ended treatment plan.
How long does recovery take?
This depends on what's actually involved and how significant it is, which is why a proper assessment matters before anyone can give you a real timeline. Many shoulder injuries improve meaningfully within several weeks of the right plan, while more significant involvement takes longer.
Recovery also isn't purely time-based, it follows the same approximate timeline as most soft tissue injuries, which is why your plan is built around where you currently are in that process rather than a one-size-fits-all timeline.
Do I need an ultrasound or MRI before starting rehab?
In most cases, imaging isn't necessary to begin an active rehabilitation program. If the assessment indicates imaging is warranted, I'll guide you on the appropriate next steps.
Will I have to stop playing sports while my shoulder recovers?
The goal is to keep you as active as possible. We often focus on modifying your activity and managing load rather than stopping your sport entirely.