SHOULDER PAIN
Dr. Smith takes a dynamic approach to treating Shoulder Pain . It may be related to a rotator cuff injury, impingement syndrome, frozen shoulder, or originate in the neck. Dr. Smith will craft a custom plan to address your needs.
Shoulder Pain Treatment
Shoulder Structure
In general, the greater mobility that a structure has the less stable it will be. This is especially true of the shoulder. It moves in wide sweeping arcs, often only limited by the body itself. Both excessive and limited mobility are often associated with pain in the shoulder.
The only joint connecting the shoulder to the rest of the skeleton is the small sternoclavicular joint at the top of the sternum. Otherwise, the shoulder hangs from the body supported by muscular and ligamentous attachments.
Because of that, many of the painful conditions that affect the shoulder are muscular or ligamentous in origin. You may have torn a muscle, damaged cartilage internal to she shoulder, or have aggravated a bursa.
Being that there are so many pain sensitive structures in the shoulder. We begin every shoulder treatment with a targeted orthopedic exam to assess exactly what the problem is.
Based on these findings, we incorporate chiropractic adjustments, sports massage, functional exercises, stretching, estim/ultrasound, and kinesio taping to address the aggravated structures.
Common Causes
Pain in the Shoulder can be related to overuse, a fall, a sports injury, or it may seemingly come out of nowhere. Below is a list of common causes.
- Fracture
- Bursitis
- Referral from the Neck
- Dislocation
- Frozen shoulder
- Visceral Referral (from the Heart or Liver)
- Impingement
- Arthritis (Osteo & Rheumatoid)
- Rotator cuff injury
- Tendinitis
- Tendon rupture
- Thoracic outlet syndrome
- Torn cartilage
- Strain/Sprain
Shoulder pain is often related to poor work and lifting posture. Sitting at a computer all day often results in both tightness in the chest and weakness in the back. This imbalance is another common cause of shoulder discomfort.