Shoulder Pain & Rotator Cuff Treatment Oakville
How the Shoulder Works
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, built to move in every direction but vulnerable to strain and irritation. It’s made up of the glenohumeral joint, the AC joint, the rotator cuff muscles, stabilizing ligaments, and small fluid-filled bursae that reduce friction. Surrounding muscles like the deltoids, traps, lats, and pecs all work together to support movement, posture, and overhead function.
Shoulder Pain Anatomy
When any of these structures become inflamed, tight, or overloaded, pain can show up with lifting, reaching overhead, sleeping on one side, or even simple daily motions. It’s built from:
● The Glenohumeral Joint where the upper arm meets the shoulder socket
● The Rotator Cuff (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis) which stabilizes and lifts the arm
● The AC Joint sitting at the top of the shoulder
● Bursa small fluid-filled sacs that reduce friction
● Supporting Muscles like the deltoids, traps, lats and pecs that help with movement and posture
Shoulder Pain Treatment Oakville
Dr. Steve and his team of chiropractic and physiotherapy experts have been helping the Oakville community with shoulder injuries for nearly 20 years. Whether your injury is the result of poor sleep posture or a slip and fall, our shoulder specialists will create a customized treatment plan tailored to your needs.
With over 40 years of combined expertise and evidence-based treatment protocols, we ensure the highest quality of care for your shoulder injury. Whether your shoulder pain is coming from you shoulder or somewhere else in your body like a referral from a nerve in your neck. You will be diagnosed on your initial visit to ensure a comprehensive treatment plan!
Shoulder Pain Treatment Video
How We Treat Shoulder Pain
At Nottinghill Family Wellness we take a targeted, evidence-based approach to shoulder pain and rotator cuff issues. Treatment typically include:
1. Assessment & Diagnosis
We identify whether pain is coming from the rotator cuff, the AC joint, the bursa, the neck, or a combination. Shoulder issues often involve more than one structure, so proper diagnosis is the foundation of effective care.
2. Manual Therapy
Soft tissue work to reduce tension in the rotator cuff, deltoids, pecs and upper back
Joint mobilizations to improve mobility in the shoulder, thoracic spine and ribs
Targeted release for tight structures that are limiting movement
3. Shockwave Therapy
Used for chronic shoulder issues, calcific tendinitis, tendon irritation and restricted mobility. Shockwave helps break down scar tissue, stimulate blood flow and accelerate healing.
4. Chiropractic Adjustments
When shoulder pain is linked to poor posture, restricted ribs or neck dysfunction, adjustments help restore proper movement patterns and reduce referred pain.
5. Medical Acupuncture
Acupuncture helps reduce inflammation, improve circulation and calm irritated nerves in stubborn or long-standing cases.
6. Rehabilitation & Strengthening
We build a customized program that restores:
- ● Rotator cuff stability
- ● Scapular control
- ●Overhead mobility
- ● Strength for daily tasks, work and sports
- ● The goal is long-term correction so the shoulder stops re-injuring itself.
What Our Patients Are saying
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I have been struggling with De Quervain’s for over 9 months and found Dr. Steve on YouTube a few weeks ago. Cannot recommend this clinic enough, if you have any wrist/thumb mobility issues they will help you! After 3 weeks of treatment here I can finally say I feel better... read more
Aleksia Petrov
June 7, 2024Dr. Steve & his team were amazing. Helped me with my back pain, always had great appointment times available and got me in and out in a timely manner. I would highly recommend for your chiropractic needs.
Nicole Romkema
September 7, 2024Awesome experience. Very welcoming and always left feeling rejuvenated
John Stones
July 7, 2024 -
Steve is awesome! Helps my aching problems every visit and sends me stretches to help that I can do at home. I have a love/hate relationship with the machines but definitely worth it! Steve comes in after the machines and does his magic! So happy I found his services 😀... read more
Kim Havenaar
December 7, 2024Great staff , very welcoming and knowledgeable
Heidi Bedard
July 7, 2024When I booked my first appointment with Dr. Steve, my SI was in so much pain, I couldn’t stand due to the pain and it was worse sitting down. I chose Dr. Steve just for proximity to work, and at the time desperate for some relief. Dr. Steve assured me... read more
Renee Phillips
February 6, 2025 -
very well organized!!! Dr.very professional highly reccomended!!!
yaroslav dvorskyy
October 7, 2024Dr. Steve was amazing! He listened to my issues & addressed them according. He was friendly and empathetic.
Sabrina Hasan
August 7, 2024Hi, my experience with Nottinghill wellness centre was absolutely great. I went for my mom who has sciatic pain and the chiro doctor Dr.Jenn did an amazing job, she has magical hands which helped my mom get better with pain just during the first sitting. Her level of pain went... read more
roshini ravunny
September 7, 2024
Rotator Cuff Treatment Oakville
Dr. Steve and his physiotherapy team have developed a specialized shoulder injury treatment protocol, backed by decades of experience and scientific research, to help patients heal more quickly and effectively.
5 Steps To Treat Shoulder Pain & Rotator Cuff Injuries:
1. Interferential Current (IFC):
This electric stimulation device uses suction to target your muscles, activating and deactivating them to promote healing. While you may feel your muscles shift or “jump” due to the stimulation, the main benefit is the increased blood flow to the affected area, accelerating the healing process.
Based on your specific diagnosis, the suction cups will be strategically placed around your shoulder and pectoral region, with moist heat applied to enhance circulation to the damaged tissues. The rotator cuff muscles, known for their notoriously low blood flow, respond particularly well to this combination of IFC and heat therapy, helping to stimulate recovery and reduce pain.
2. Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave is a pneumatic “gun” that breaks apart scar tissue and muscle swelling. This part of treatment may be a little more painful but only lasts 2-3 minutes, and is worth ever second. Shockwave is scientifically proven to be the gold standard for treating rotator cuff injuries.
Both our physiotherapists and our chiropractors use shockwave for shoulder pain treatments.
Patients tend to love the pain because it gets deeper than any massage and breaks apart tight and painful areas, allowing you to almost immediately feel loose. Most patients will take the intensity between 0.8BAR and 3.0BAR at a frequency of 15 hits a second for a total of 1200 hits.
3. Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Therapy
This also known in out clinic as “scraping”. Scraping is done by one of the many tools we have where our physiotherapists and chiropractors will “scrape” the affected areas of the shoulder to help breakdown scar tissue and inflammation.
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Therapy will promote further healing and range of motion. This treatment may not feel the best, but like the Shockwave it is also immediate satisfaction. We do recommend patients ice after each shoulder therapy treatment to minimize swelling.
4. Spinal manipulation:
Also known as an adjustment, this treatment is performed exclusively by our chiropractors. The procedure involves a controlled release of your joints, often accompanied by a cracking or popping sound. This release helps to relax the muscles surrounding the joint, reduce pressure, and alleviate pain and tightness.
In most cases, patients experience tightness or restriction in the middle back, or thoracic spine, which requires adjustment. In some instances, shoulder pain may be caused by a rib that has shifted out of place (rib subluxation), and the chiropractor will adjust the rib back into its proper position.
5. Acupuncture Treatment
Dr. Steve does not perform acupuncture, and at our Oakville clinic, acupuncture is exclusively provided by Dr. Jenn. During an acupuncture session, a tiny needle is gently inserted into the skin at the site of the affected muscles.
The needle typically remains in place for about 12 minutes, helping to loosen the muscle and promote improved blood flow to the area. The best part is, you won’t even feel the needle! If you’re suffering from shoulder pain, Dr. Jenn can help you find relief with acupuncture at our chiropractic clinic.
What You Can Do at Home To Treat Shoulder Pain
Between appointments, these steps help speed recovery and reduce flare-ups:
1. Ice After Aggravating Activity
Apply ice for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce inflammation after work, exercise or heavy use.
2. Avoid Painful Motions
Skip overhead lifting, sleeping on the painful shoulder and repetitive movements until irritation settles.
3. Gentle Mobility Work
- ● Pendulum swings
- ● Wall slides
Light internal and external rotation movements
These help maintain movement without stressing the joint.
4. Posture Reset
Keep the chest open and shoulders relaxed down and back. Poor posture increases tension on the rotator cuff and can worsen pain.
5. Start Light Strengthening
- ● As pain calms down, begin simple exercises:
- ● Scapular squeezes
- ● Light banded rotations
- ● Wall angels
6. Don’t Push Through Sharp Pain
Discomfort is normal. Sharp, stabbing pain is not. If movements aggravate symptoms, stop and let us reassess.
Download FREE Shoulder Pain Exercises PDF
4 Steps To Help Your Shoulder Heal Faster!
- Stop doing what’s causing the pain. Whether it is sleeping with your arm above your head, pulling luggage or pouring coffee.
- Ice….Ice the shoulder every day after work or any type of physical activity.
- Get in for treatment. Before you start any stretching or the rotator cuff exercises listed below, get in for treatment. Our Oakville Chiropractors think there is no reason for you to start stretching or strengthening your rotator cuff injury when it’s not working correctly. Let’s heal the shoulder first, get it moving better, then begin to strengthen it when its function is closer to perfect. Most patients will feel better after their first visit and be substantially improved by visit 7 to 10.
- Get in for treatment asap!
Rotator Cuff At-Home Exercises
Are you looking for Oakville Physiotherapy for you shoulder pain? Check out Vinaya our Physiotherapist and book today!
Are you experiencing shoulder pain or discomfort? If you would like to seek professional help for your rotator cuff injury please contact our chiropractic clinic directly at 905-827-4197
Shoulder Pain & Rotator Cuff Treatment FAQS
- What is the treatment for rotator cuff injuries?
- Can I still work out with a rotator cuff injury?
- Do I need surgery for my rotator cuff injury?
- When should I see my medical doctor for rotator cuff injury?
- How do I know I have a rotator cuff injury and not a tear?
- What exercises should I do for rotator cuff injury?
- Does shockwave hurt my rotator cuff injury?
- Can I heat or Ice my rotator cuff injury?
- How long does it take my rotator cuff injury to heal?
- Why does my rotator cuff injury hurt when I sleep?
The best treatment for rotator cuff injures are ART and Shockwave Therapy!
Yes, depending on how bad it is. Do not do any activities that increase your pain!
In most cases no. With passive treatment rotator cuff injuries get better without surgery.
See you medical doctor if treatment isn’t working. They can send you for an MRI or ultrasound.
You can not really tell. Even shoulders that are a 10 out of 10 for pain and can not move might not have a tear. You need to get an MRI or ultrasound to confirm a tear.
Once you figure out the cause of the shoulder injury you can start with scapular stability exercises or rotator cuff protocol.
Shockwave is the gold standard for treating shoulder injuries. Treatment of the shoulder with shockwave will be uncomfortable but not painful. The rotator cuff muscles have limited blood flow and shockwave causes new blood vessels to form and healing to begin.
Always ice a shoulder or rotator cuff injury!
Shoulder injuries can take between 2 weeks to 2 months to heal. The sooner you get in for treatment the more likely you will heal faster!
Because your arm is above your head. Try not to sleep with your arm up, this causes an impingement of the supraspinatus muscles. Try sleeping with your arm down or below your head. Sleeping posture is very important to healing shoulders!