The shoulders are one of the most complex joints in the body due to their ability to move in all planes of motion and withstand high compressive forces. Being a ball and socket joint it has many muscles that perform similar actions however if there is any dysfunction with those muscles then the ability of the shoulder to perform movements becomes compromised and we start adopting compensatory motor patterns.
So what are the most common causes of shoulder pain and what do we see most here at the clinic. Firstly shoulder pain is something that is frequently seen at the clinic and is a problem that chiropractic care can help relieve. Many of these diagnoses are caused due to repetitive strain along with poor posture so seeing a chiropractor for your shoulder pain is highly recommended.
- Bicipital Tendinitis/tendinopathy- this pain is centered at the front of the shoulder and is normally interpreted as a burning achy sensation that can be painful when sleeping and during overhead and pressing movements in the gym. This problem goes hand in hand with another frequently seen shoulder problem known as BURSITIS, which presents in a very similar manner.
- Impingement Syndrome- this is a broad term to describe the trapping of a tendon between either two bony structures or a bone and a ligament. Generally this feels as a catching sensation on movements where the arm crosses the body.
There are a whole host more causes for shoulder pain however many get misdiagnosed a ‘frozen shoulder’, an umbrella term used by medical professionals who see symptoms of poor range of motion and pain and immediately think of this diagnosis. So what can you do to help yourself at home to make the trip to the doctors or chiropractors less likely.
- Stretching/Mobilisations
- One of the most underutilized techniques when it comes to shoulder pain, as people don’t really know how to stretch the shoulder. Using therabands as well are your own body weight with simple techniques will definitely benefit those of you who have limited range of motion. Only 5 minutes searching online on YouTube and you could find a 1020 minute routine that alleviates most, if not all of your pain.
- Attached will be a PDF of a shoulder stretching routine for people to have a go at.
- Self Massage (picture of foam roller and trigger ball)
- Using your own thumbs, small trigger point balls or foam rollers to find sore areas can have a massive therapeutic effect on shoulder pain. The main areas that I would advise are through the pec (chest) and biceps on the affected side as well as directly behind the shoulder where the scapula sits. Many of these structures can radiate pain into the shoulder and can be treated with simple selfmassage techniques.
- Better Posture
- Poor posture caused by a desk based job, driving and inactive lifestyles can cause a rounding of the shoulders and poor shoulder mobility. This is something that we as Chiropractors see day to day. Rounding of the shoulders causes a closing of the internal shoulder joint where many tendons attach. This can cause sharp pain as the tendons can catch and elicit a sharp and catching pain when lifting the arm up.
- Taking regular “Brugger breaks’ when at work or at home can help reduce the likelihood of this happening as well as consulting a manual therapist on how to activate those important postural muscles.
- Exercise/Movement
- Having a regular exercise routine that incorporates a variety of weights, stretching/activation and functional training can have a huge effect of reducing shoulder pain but also reducing the likelihood of shoulder pain.
- If you have shoulder pain I would advise seeing a medical professional before starting an exercise programme as this could make any condition that you have flare up and cause longterm damage.
- Even getting out for a walk for 30 minutes a day will drastically reduce the likelihood of developing shoulder pain, as it will stop you being immobile and produce movement into the joint.
- Sleeping Position
- Sleeping on your back will reduce the likelihood of developing shoulder pain due to reducing the compressive forces that occur when we sleep on our side or front.
- If we cannot stop this habit then small changes such as placing a pillow between our neck and shoulder with the arm at 90 degrees can reduce stress on the joint.
Overall shoulder pain can be a very complex problem, if these tips don’t help then consulting our Liverpool Chiropractor or other physical therapist to assess and diagnose shoulder be a priority. At Liverpool Chiropractic Clinic we look at getting to the root of the problem through a thorough case history and examination and will give a comprehensive treatment plan including pain relief and rehabilitation. To make an appointment you can contact our Liverpool Chiropractor here.
