How Chiropractic Helps with Many Common Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder injuries can hamper your mobility and make it harder to complete everyday tasks. Below we’re going to detail how shoulder injuries occur, how to recognize the symptoms, and what a chiropractor can do to restore you to good health.

Typical Reasons for Shoulder Injuries

The most moveable joints in your body are in your shoulders. Three bones make up your shoulder: the humerus in your upper arm, the scapula which is your shoulder blade, and the clavicle, which is your collarbone. The shoulder stays in place with the help of ligaments, tendons, and muscles.

Because the shoulder joint is so moveable, it is incredibly susceptible to injury. These are the most common reasons for shoulder injuries:

• Swimming
• Pitching
• Weightlifting
• Tennis
• Gardening
• Hanging curtains
• Hanging lights
• Washing walls
• Factory work

Essentially, any overhead movement that is repetitive or excessive can trigger problems in the shoulder. Issues are usually related to the ligaments, tendons, and muscles, not the bones.

Athletes often struggle with shoulder injuries. They can develop them through repetitive motion and intense training. If an athlete chooses to play through a shoulder injury rather than resting, the injury can worsen and take even longer to heal.

These are some other common causes of shoulder pain:

• Arthritis
• Bursitis
• Bone fractures
• Frozen shoulder syndrome, which causes stiffness and soreness
• Tendonitis
• Separated shoulder

Recognizing a Shoulder Injury

Over time, many people adapt to the symptoms of a shoulder injury until they don’t realize they have a problem anymore. However, you can assess whether you have a shoulder injury by looking at these common symptoms:

• Recurring pain in the shoulder
• Arm weakness
• Limited range of motion
• Stiffness
• Sensations of popping

Types of Shoulder Injuries

Dislocation. Your shoulder can get dislocated if it is moved out of its proper position. The instability of the joint can cause pain when you raise your arm, and your shoulder may feel like it slips or pops when you move it.

Impingement. Another injury is called impingement, which is when the shoulder muscles rub against the shoulder blade and cause inflammation. This occurs from excessive and repetitive overhead motion. If you have inflammation in your shoulder muscles, you need to seek treatment so that further injury is prevented.

Rotator cuff issues. Your rotator cuff muscles can also be injured. These muscles can stretch or tear, which will cause pain. The rotator cuff is made up of tendons and muscles that hold the shoulder bones together. A rotator cuff injury can sometimes cause permanent loss of full function, which means you may no longer be able to reach overhead to the extent that you could before the injury.

Neck pain. While technically not a shoulder injury, pain in your neck can actually be related to shoulder pain. The neck’s range of motion can be limited by the pain, just like the shoulder’s range of motion.

Treatment of Shoulder Injuries

Chiropractic care for shoulder pain can be accomplished through several treatments, as described below.

Massage. Whether through hand massage or hydromassage, the shoulder muscles can be loosened and soothed with this treatment. Tightness and stiffness can go away, and range of motion can be restored.

Adjustments. Your chiropractor can gently adjust the shoulder. This manipulation will shift it forward or backward as needed. Adjusting the neck and upper back can also help. This chiropractic treatment will reduce pain, inflammation, and muscle spasms.

Compression. The use of ischemic compression techniques in chiropractic care is a kind of therapy that produces positive outcomes and is safe for rehabilitating an injured shoulder. Most patients tolerate this treatment well and experience pain relief.

Corrected posture. Often when people work at a desk all day, they develop poor posture that puts pressure on their joints and muscles. Shoulder pain can originate from poor posture. Your chiropractor can show you a correct posture that keeps your shoulders from rolling forward and causing inflammation or stiffness.

For correct posture, your ears need to align directly over your shoulders, which should be down and back in a relaxed position. Your upper back should be aligned over your hips. This proper technique can alleviate shoulder pain over time.

Electrostimulation therapy. This therapy works by sending painless electric waves to sore muscles. It stimulates blood flow, which promotes healing and strength.

Exercises. Specific exercises can strengthen and rehabilitate shoulder muscles. You can try push-ups on the wall, lifting yourself slowly from a chair with armrests, and pulling on rubber resistance tubes wrapped around a door knob. Another good exercise is the arm swing, when you lean forward and move your arms in small circles, reversing the direction every 30 seconds.

Have more questions? Schedule a chiropractic consultation today. We’ll discuss the best methods of therapy for you.

About the Author: 

Dr. Singer has been a practicing chiropractor for more than 20 years, and USA Health & Therapy has been around since 2004. Over the course of his career, Singer has helped tens of thousands of people with all kinds of issues by using a wide variety of treatment strategies. He has extensive knowledge of chiropractic modalities, including Gonstead, Diversified, Thompson Drop Table, and Activator, and in 1997 he earned a special adjunctive Chiropractic Certification in Spinal Trauma (CCST) to better provide care for car crash victims. Dr. Singer is licensed to practice chiropractic medicine in both Florida and New York.