HOW DO I GET RID OF SHOULDER PAIN?

Most people who come to DC Chiropractic often present with back pain, but when asked about other issues, shoulder pain is almost always the follow up complaint. So, the question is “how do I get rid of shoulder pain?”.

Basics first...

What most people refer to the shoulder is really several joints that combine to make the shoulder girdle. The tendons, ligaments, muscles and nerves that form this structure allow quite a large range of motion; from reaching for the cookie jar, to swinging a bat.

Unlike some other joints in your body, the shoulder is designed to be quite flexible and consequently unstable. Usually when we use our shoulders for sports or work or day-to-day life they can get sore and worn out, which is okay. The issue arises when you overuse your shoulders and soreness becomes genuine pain.

The most common cause of shoulder pain is a Rotator Cuff injury.

You have 4 rotator cuff muscles in your shoulder. Most people don't know that the rotator cuff muscles primarily stabilise the ball and socket joint in your shoulder girdle (rather than move around your arm). Looking after these muscles is critical if you are playing a sport or want full range of motion and healthy movement. They can be injured through overuse, poor mobility, stress during work or many other reasons. This is a very common reason why patients come into the clinic at DC Chiropractic.

What are shoulder injuries caused by?

Honestly, the exact mechanism of a shoulder injury is hard to pin-point, unless there's trauma involved. Most of the time our muscles and joints slowly worsen from dysfunction. Figuring out what's going on biomechanically is the job of the Chiropractor!

On a side note...

If you experience shoulder discomfort, be careful not to confuse lack of pain, with no injury. When shoulder dysfunction occurs, the pain that comes with it is usually a poor representation of actual tissue damage. Try to be proactive and "Prehab" your muscles instead! There are various exercises you can try out and our chiropractors will guide you on the most effective ones to progress through!

How do you know if you have a shoulder injury?

Generally, pain other than muscle soreness isn't normal and needs to be assessed. There are a few indicators that tell you that you may need a physical exam by a health professional. It could be that one shoulder feels weak, or that you can't pull your hand over your head like you used to.

After your assessment one of our chiropractors will explain if there is an injury and outline if rehabilitation is needed, and for how long. Often the mechanics behind your injury may not be straight forward - it could potentially be a spinal mobility issue instead, or perhaps the way you sleep or study! Let our trained chiropractors take you through a proper exam for more peace of mind.

How fast will rehab work?

Most of the time, rehab for shoulder injuries is actually very promising. Usually the effectiveness of treatment and prescribed exercises are measured on how much they help, rather than if they help!

Some tips for everyone to try out!

It is clear that working on shoulder external rotation drills will most likely benefit the vast majority of shoulder related injuries. You've probably seen a personal trainer or a physio go through banded arm movements and these are amazing for warming up the rotator cuff.

Before any shoulder or overhead activities, we recommend 3 sets of straight arm banded Lat pull downs and 3 sets of external rotations!

If your shoulder pain is holding you back, contact DC Chiropractic and speak to one of our chiropractors for an opinion!