Shoulder pain

As Chiropractors we are trained to focus and provide treatment on all the joints of the body, not only the spinal joints. A common complaint among adults is shoulder pain and discomfort. The shoulder joint or glenohumeral joint (proper) is regarded as the most mobile joint of the human body.  There are 6 ranges of motion that are associated with the shoulder, these include flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, internal rotation, and external rotation. If you read all those ranges of motion then you can appreciate all the anatomy involved in allowing all those different motions at the shoulder.

The more structures involved in providing natural pain free function also means several different factors can account for dysfunction at the shoulder. When dysfunction is present at the shoulder one can expect to have pain and decreased ranges of motion which can greatly affect an individuals activities of daily living.  A detailed assessment of shoulder problems is essential to treatment after a proper physical and orthopedic exam is performed, x-rays may need to be taken to further assess the structure. One of the more common causes of shoulder pain that I have seen is due to shoulder impingement. Shoulder impingement is a condition that responds well to chiropractic adjustments. When adjusting the shoulder our goal is to restore normal joint motion, generally speaking once that is achieved pain is decreased and activities of daily living are increased. Sometimes if shoulder pain is lingering around for a while even after receiving treatment the cause may be due to a more chronic condition such as a tear of one of the structures of the shoulder such as the labrum or a rotator cuff muscle. To assess these structures often times an MRI is ordered. Once the MRI is ordered further treatment and recommendations can be made.

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