A sore shoulder can make everything harder, from reaching a shelf to getting a good night's sleep. Most shoulder pain improves with the right exercise.

Shoulder pain is very common, especially after age 40. The most common cause is rotator cuff related shoulder pain, which affects the muscles and tendons that steady and lift your arm. Another cause, frozen shoulder, makes the shoulder painful and stiff for months but does get better. Here you'll find friendly guides on what's going on, what helps, and the warning signs that need fast care.

Updated October 1, 2026

In an emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number.

Start here

Your first 30 days: a checklist

  • Keep your shoulder moving gently. Avoid holding it still in a sling unless your doctor has told you to.
  • Change how you do painful tasks for a while, such as using a step stool instead of reaching overhead.
  • Try heat or cold, whichever feels better, for up to 20 minutes at a time, wrapped in a towel.
  • Ask a pharmacist which pain medicine, cream or gel is safe for you.
  • Find a comfortable sleeping position, such as lying on your other side hugging a pillow.
  • Ask about seeing a physiotherapist for an exercise plan. In many places you don't need a referral.
  • Start gentle exercises, and build up slowly over weeks. Shoulders take time.
  • Learn the warning signs, including shoulder pain with chest discomfort or shortness of breath.

Understand your shoulder pain

The rotator cuff, frozen shoulder, and pain that comes from somewhere else.

Your treatment options

Exercise and physiotherapy first, then pain relief, injections and, for some, surgery.

  • Shoulder pain: your treatment options: What helps rotator cuff related shoulder pain and frozen shoulder: exercise-based physiotherapy first, changing how you do things, pain relief, steroid injections for some, and surgery for a few. (7 min read)
  • Choosing a physiotherapist: what to look for and what to ask: How to find a good physiotherapist (physical therapist) for back, joint or balance problems: checking they're licensed, what a good first visit looks like, signs of quality care, costs and coverage. (6 min read)

Exercises for your shoulder

Gentle range-of-motion work and rotator cuff strengthening. Move within a comfortable range, and build up slowly.

Before you start: Check with your clinician first if you have a new injury, recent surgery, osteoporosis or heart symptoms. Stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness or chest pain. For chest pain, call 9-1-1.

Living well

Sleep, daily tasks and staying active while your shoulder recovers.

When to get help

Get emergency help now

  • Shoulder, arm, neck or jaw pain together with chest discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea or light-headedness. This can be a heart attack
  • After a fall or injury, your shoulder looks out of shape, you can't move your arm at all, or your arm or hand is cold, pale or numb
  • A shoulder that is hot, red and very painful to move, with a fever or chills. Go to an emergency department now: this can be a joint infection

Call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department. Don't drive yourself.

Call your doctor or physio soon

  • You suddenly can't lift your arm properly after a fall, a jolt or lifting something heavy. Get checked within a week or two, as some tendon tears do better with early repair
  • Your shoulder may be dislocated or broken after a fall, but you can still move it a little
  • Numbness, tingling or weakness spreading down your arm into your hand
  • Constant pain that's getting worse, including at night and at rest
  • You've had cancer, or you notice a lump or swelling, or you're losing weight without trying
  • Your shoulder is getting stiffer and stiffer, especially if you have diabetes
  • Pain that hasn't improved after 6 to 12 weeks of exercise and self-care
  • After a shoulder injection or surgery: fever, spreading redness, or pain and swelling that's getting worse

Shoulder or arm pain can sometimes be a sign of a heart problem. If it comes with chest discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating or nausea, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number right away, and don't drive yourself. For a badly injured shoulder or a hot, red shoulder with fever, go to an emergency department now. For the second list, call your doctor, clinic or physiotherapist soon. If you can't reach anyone and you're worried, go to an urgent care centre or emergency department.

  • Shoulder pain warning signs: when to get help: Most shoulder pain isn't serious. Learn the signs that mean call 9-1-1 (like shoulder pain with chest symptoms), go to emergency, or see your doctor soon (like sudden weakness after an injury). (5 min read)

Questions to ask your team

  1. What do you think is causing my shoulder pain?
  2. Is it coming from my shoulder, or could it be my neck or something else?
  3. Do I need a scan? Why or why not?
  4. What movements should I avoid for now, and which should I keep doing?
  5. How long do you expect it to take to improve?
  6. If I have diabetes, does that change anything?

From our guide Understanding shoulder pain: the rotator cuff and frozen shoulder.

Go deeper

Written for clinicians and students. More technical material from Hibbert Medical, for readers who want more detail.

Podcast summaries

Lectures

Seminars

Clinical cases

Common questions

What is rotator cuff related shoulder pain?

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and their tendons that hold the ball of your shoulder steady in its socket and help you lift and turn your arm. Rotator cuff related shoulder pain is an umbrella term for pain coming from these tissues. You may have heard it called impingement, bursitis, tendinopathy or a partial tear. It usually causes pain on the outside of the upper arm, especially when lifting your arm or lying on that side.

Do I need an X-ray, ultrasound or MRI?

Often not at first. Many people over 50 have rotator cuff changes or even tears on scans without any pain at all, so scans can be misleading. Your doctor may suggest one if you've had an injury and can't lift your arm, if your pain isn't improving after a few months of good care, or if surgery is being considered.

Will exercise really help?

Yes. Exercise-based physiotherapy is the first treatment recommended for rotator cuff related shoulder pain. It helps most people, though it usually takes at least 6 to 12 weeks and sometimes longer. Some discomfort during the exercises is normal and okay.

What is frozen shoulder?

Frozen shoulder happens when the lining around the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, then tight and thick. The shoulder becomes painful and very stiff, especially when turning the arm outward. It is most common between ages 40 and 60, and in people with diabetes. It can last from several months to a couple of years, but nearly always gets better.

Will I need surgery?

Most people don't. Surgery to 'make more space' in the shoulder (subacromial decompression) has been shown to work no better than a placebo operation, and guidelines recommend against it for most people. Surgery to repair the rotator cuff may help some people, especially after an injury that causes sudden weakness, or when a large tear isn't improving with exercise.

Sources for this page

  1. AAOS OrthoInfo: Rotator cuff tears
  2. AAOS OrthoInfo: Frozen shoulder
  3. NHS: Shoulder pain
  4. NHS: Frozen shoulder
  5. Vandvik PO, et al. Subacromial decompression surgery for adults with shoulder pain: a clinical practice guideline. BMJ. 2019
  6. Beard DJ, et al. Arthroscopic subacromial decompression for subacromial shoulder pain (CSAW). Lancet. 2018
  7. AAOS OrthoInfo: Rotator cuff and shoulder conditioning program

Back to Move Well: the exercise library, starting exercise safely, pain during exercise and choosing a physiotherapist

General information, not medical advice. It does not replace your own care team. If you think you or someone else is having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8 (Canada and the US).

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