Shoulder pain can turn pressing, reaching, throwing, and even sleeping into a constant adjustment. We identify what is limiting the joint and rebuild the control and strength needed to use your arm confidently again.
WHEN YOUR SHOULDER STOPS MOVING NATURALLY
Shoulder pain can make pressing, pulling, reaching overhead, or sleeping on one side feel awkward and uncertain. You may start keeping the elbow closer to your body, avoiding certain angles, or relying more on the neck and upper back to complete the movement.
Those adjustments can reduce discomfort temporarily, but they also change how the shoulder blade, upper arm, and trunk work together. The pain may settle with rest, then return as soon as you lift heavier, throw again, or spend more time working overhead.
We look at how the entire shoulder system moves, controls force, and responds to load.
Our goal is not just to restore motion. It is to make the shoulder feel strong and dependable throughout that motion.
SOUND FAMILIAR?
Shoulder pain often changes depending on the angle, load, or task. These common patterns help reveal which part of the movement is breaking down.
Reaching, pressing, or throwing overhead creates a sharp catch or ache. The shoulder may lack the motion or control needed at that angle.
The arm feels unreliable during pressing, pulling, or carrying. You may compensate with the neck, upper back, or opposite side.
The shoulder becomes sore when lying on that side or wakes you as you change position. Irritation often builds after repeated use.
Reaching behind your back, across your body, or overhead becomes harder. Guarding the movement can make the restriction grow over time.
THE ROOT CAUSE
We assess whether the shoulder blade rotates, tilts, and supports the arm properly during reaching, pressing, and pulling.
We test overhead reach, rotation, and behind-the-back motion to find the angles that feel blocked, painful, or unstable.
Strength alone is not enough. We look at whether the cuff can center and control the joint under real movement demands.
We compare your current capacity with the demands of lifting, throwing, sports, work, and everyday use.
CONDITIONS TREATED
A diagnosis may identify the irritated structure, but it does not explain why the shoulder lost motion, strength, or tolerance. We treat the condition while rebuilding how the entire shoulder system performs.
YOUR RECOVERY PLAN
Four phases designed to restore comfortable motion, rebuild shoulder control, and prepare your arm for lifting, reaching, throwing, and sport.
Reduce pain during reaching, lifting, and sleeping while keeping the shoulder moving within positions it can tolerate.
Regain the overhead, rotational, and behind-the-back motion needed for daily tasks and unrestricted training.
Strengthen the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles so the joint stays supported as the arm moves.
Progress pressing, pulling, throwing, and overhead work until the shoulder feels strong under real demand.
Ready to reach, lift, and train with confidence again? Take the first step toward a stronger, more dependable shoulder. Request your appointment below.
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Rating
After seeing an ad for root cause analysis. I made an appointment with next level. I am glad I did, I worked with traditional therapists for shoulder pain and had poor results previously. I was fortunate to have my appointment with Dr. Dan. Dan took his time to understand my issues and listened to what I tried before with no results. His plan has been all inclusive working the area around the shoulder to regain strength and gave me back the confidence to exercise pain free. Even if I have a flare up, I now have the knowledge to get back on track faster than ever. Since it was a full body assessment Dr. Dan has also been able to help me with other areas, I had pain in. Overall, it has been a great experience. Dr Dan has helped make a significant impact on my ability to be athletic at 50. Thank you, Dr Dan!
Working with Artem has been incredibly helpful! I have worked with multiple PT for the issues I came to Artem with and what he knows about the body and movement felt way more comprehensive on how to actually heal the root issue. I really enjoyed the one on one care as I felt he really could understand and speak into what was going on. The only downside is it is quite expensive but worth the investment for me. When I first started seeing him in November, I wasn't able to even grab anything from the backseat of my car due to shoulder pain and also had issues with my legs and hips. However, in July I was able to hike the TMB (106 difficult miles in the Alps)!
I originally came to see Joe for hip and shoulder pain. I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical of his techniques at first, but you truly have to trust the process! Joe was so supportive and genuinely concerned about my recovery from day one. He always followed up and checked on me. I’m going to miss meeting with him. I am now leaving with a full 'toolbox' of knowledge to manage any future issues, along with daily mobility routines that let me keep lifting weights safely and effectively. Highly recommend Joe to anyone wanting real, long-term results!
I’ve started with PT Daniel and he’s been phenomenal. He’s helped me improve my lower body imbalances and reduce shoulder pain. His dry needling treatment has also been great for reducing inflammation!
I've been coming to Next Level since Oct 2025 and it's been an absolute life changer for me. Dr. Devi has helped me start to recover from my injuries after 10 years of chronic pain and to get my life back. I tried just about everything to fix my lower back and shoulder pain, and nothing worked. Their approach to physical therapy is what finally allowed me to start having pain free days again, and be able to get back to being active again without the fear of injury. I couldn't possibly recommend Next Level enough if traditional PT methods haven't worked for you.
As a 56 year old with 2 prior heart events, fitness plays a crucial role in my life. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is how I chose to meet these fitness goals. So when I started to experience significant shoulder pain, it was imperative that I find a way through it. After visiting my my primary care physician, my local PT, and an Orthopedist no relief was in sight. It wasn't until I was put in touch with Dr. Artem Imnadze with Next level Physical Therapy that I began to see a light at the end of the tunnel. To begin, Dr Imnadze (A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Brown Belt himself) took a full hour just to understand the nuances of my situation, this included understanding my lifestyle, my goals, the pain I was experiencing and the importance of fitness on my life. From there he developed a comprehensive plan for treatment and walked me through it with complete rationale for each step of the way. After a few weeks of treatment I began to feel subtle relief, I couldn't believe it, after several months of desperation I legitimately began to feel relief. By the end of my treatment plan, not only did I feel better but I felt I had the tools to manage any pain that may creep back in over time. I can't thank Dr Artem enough for the expertise he brought to bear on my situation and the time he took to understand me comprehensively. Can't recommend this gentleman enough - engage with confidence.
New Level PT was a gamechanger for someone who loved moving but neglected the proper warmup and cool down after lifting. I decided to reach out to Next Level after noticing Dr. Jose as someone who went to my gym! With Next Levels help, we able to pinpoint the root causes of my shoulder pain which was actually related to the locations of my hips being externally rotated on my right side and internally rotated on my left side. Within months of working with Dr. Jose, my shoulder pain had relieved and my hip tightness was reduced. It was the best that I've felt in years. Dr. Jose was not only a great guide to helping me get back to my best, but he was a plethora of knowledge. No stone was left unturned and he made sure to explain the information provided so I could start to incorporate what he taught to me in my routine. Everyone at Next Level was extremely kind and wants nothing more than to ensure people return to doing what they love! Whether you are trying to return to a sport or you're a lifter with some pain, Next Level Physical Therapy will get you back to being your best physical self!
I came to Next Level Physical Therapy with significant shoulder pain after having already seen another physical therapist to no avail. Dr. Meghan was able to pinpoint the exact issue that was causing my pain, and not only did she provide me with exercises that helped to completely dismantle it, in the time I spent with her she taught me more than I could have ever imagined I would learn about how to properly move my body. I came away from the experience with absolute confidence in using my shoulder for everyday tasks, as well as for working out - an activity I had been avoiding for quite some time due to the pain I was experiencing. Dr. Meghan is an incredibly patient, knowledgeable, understanding, and talented physical therapist. I would send anyone to her and to Next Level without question.
Been meaning to write this, Dr.Kate taught me so much about my body that no doctor has before. I came for my knee pain and shoulder pain and learned that I was neglecting my hips and right away we started to work on my hips. Dr.Kate taught me so many exercises to help with my hips, now I’m using my hips everyday for exercise, simple tasks and I can feel myself using my hips, plus no more knee pain ! I’m amazed by my own progress since my last session. It was such a incredible experience working with Dr.Kate, I also learned my shoulder pain was part of me not breathing properly while exercising with a shoulder not developing properly on top of that (Os Acromiale), I thought this severe pain I had everyday would never go away but since meeting Dr.Kate and sharing the awareness about my breathing , she helped me to make sure I was also breathing properly for exercises and in general 😂The pain hasn’t been as severe since ! Now I just get random sharp pains in my shoulder which is a huge difference!! Thank you so much for being so patient, kind and being so committed to your clients ❤️
I found Next Level Physical Therapy while doing an Internet search. I was looking for a newer, fresher approach to standard physical therapy. I’d experienced traditional physical therapy in the past and I wanted something different. I didn’t want to go and spend half my visit with ice packs, hot packs, and riding a bicycle. I’ve spent 100% of my time one-on-one with Dr. Kate. I sustained a knee injury, which resulted in very painful bursitis, that was not resolving with traditional approaches. From the very first visit with Dr. Kate, she identified imbalances in muscles, from my shoulder all the way down to my feet, which had created the environment for my knee injury. I immediately felt a strong connection with the approach at Next level physical therapy that I signed up for the most intense package Which is 24 weeks, going two days a week Dr. Kate created a systematic plan with an approach to improve my muscle balance and strength. She has introduced new exercises at every session. If I am unable to properly do the exercise, she breaks it down into the smallest parts She then sends me home with these small parts to practice. Because I’ve seen so much progress in myself, I am very motivated to practice these movements on my own at home. I have seen such an improvement in my strength and my balance since starting Next Level! Dr Kate always meets where I am at phsically! Lately, we have been working on some chronic shoulder pain that I have. Dr. Kate has been doing some dry needling which has really produced amazing results. I’m not an athlete nor do I even work out a lot. I’m just a woman in my 60s trying to improve and sustain a level of health and fitness. I have seen considerable improvements in my strength and balance since seeing Dr. Kate. I will be forever grateful for finding Next Level and the improvements it has made for me in the last three months! Everyone at Next Level is so friendly and helpful, It feels like a family!. I think Dr. Kate might need to be part of my permanent fitness routine.
Request an appointment and we’ll identify what is limiting your shoulder, then build the motion, strength, and control needed to lift, reach, and train with confidence again.