Shoulder Conditions

Chiropractic treatment is effective for easing shoulder pain and improving strength and movement of the shoulder. Your shoulder joint is made up of the shoulder blade, collar bone and the ball and socket shoulder joint itself. Dysfunction in any of these areas can easily lead to pain and restrictions due to the complex structure of the shallow ball and socket joint that allows for a wide range of movement. The shoulder blade makes up a major part of the shoulder girdle, stabilising the arm and shoulder throughout movement.

Causes of shoulder pain include poor posture, repetitive movements, overloading the shoulder joint, trauma, awkward sleeping position. Symptoms of shoulder and arm conditions are pain, reduced or restricted movement, loss of strength, tingling sensations in the shoulder or arm.

During a chiropractic examination the exact nature and mechanism of your shoulder condition will be identified, this means appropriate treatment and exercises to benefit your condition can then be given. Treatment of the shoulder often includes treatment of the neck as some of the major muscles supporting the shoulder also attach onto the neck, the nerves supplying the shoulder and arm arise from the lower 4 cervical vertebra making treatment of the neck an often-essential component to improve your shoulder pain. The shoulder joint itself is treated to free up any restrictions there may within the joint.

Common conditions that can cause shoulder pain include: adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder), biceps tendonitis (inflammation of the biceps tendon), impingement syndrome (inflammation of the bursae or tendons of the shoulder), rotator cuff injury, thoracic outlet syndrome (pain in the shoulder and tingling in the fingers and arm).

Goals of Chiropractic Care The main goals of chiropractic care in the treatment of Rotator cuff injury include:

  • Reduce the pain
  • Release restriction in the shoulder joint
  • Relax tight muscles
  • Stimulate nerves
  • Improve spinal function
  • Increase range of motion
  • Improve muscle activation and movement patterns