SHoulder Pain

What is it?

The shoulder is a complex joint that is susceptible to injury and is the third most likely cause of musculoskeletal pain with lifetime prevalence of shoulder pain shown to be as high as 70%!

There are a variety of different conditions that can cause shoulder pain some of these are due to high impact or repetitive trauma and some are systemic.

The most prevalent condition is internal shoulder impingement, this is most common amongst people who do lots of overhead movement. This can reduce the space in the shoulder and consequently compresses the rotator cuff tendon and subacromial bursa, both of which can lead to inflammation and pain. 

Frozen shoulder is a chronic shoulder complaint that can last anywhere from 6 months to 2 years with the highest prevalence being amongst women aged over 40.

Pain arises as the joint capsule begins to thicken and undergoes fibrosis which then causes inflammation and reduced range of motion. 

There are many other conditions that could be causing your shoulder pain which can be difficult to diagnose due to the complexity of the shoulder joint, if you have any shoulder pain then contact your chiropractor to arrange a consultation. 

Common symptoms 

• Pain when lifting your arm above your head or general movement

• Difficulty laying on your shoulder 

• Limited movement 

• Weakness around the shoulder 

Diagnosis 

Diagnosing the shoulder can be difficult so an in-depth medical history followed by a thorough physical examination will be used to achieve the correct diagnosis. The range of motion of your shoulder and muscle strength will both be tested as well as specialised orthopaedic and neurological tests to help pin point your pain. 

Types of treatment 

Our Chiropractors tailor all of their treatment plans to you as an individual.

We use a variety of different treatment modalities including; manual therapy, mobility stretches, strength and conditioning exercises and medical acupuncture.

The techniques used are aimed at not only alleviating your symptoms and increasing your mobility but addressing the cause of your problem.

We want every patient to fulfil their potential.