The shoulder is a complex region of the body.
The shoulder complex is made up of bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles that connect the arm to the torso. The shoulder has two joints that work together to allow arm movement, where your arm (humorous) meets the shoulder blade (scapulae) and where the scapula glides on the rib cage. Due to the region’s complexity, there are all sorts of things that can go wrong in this area.
Shoulder pain is a very common condition and affects almost half of the U.S. Most patients feel some sort of pain, limited range of motion, an inability to engage in activities of daily living (ADL) or something more serious as a permanent disability.
Check this out!
Watch one of the ways we treat shoulder pain!
Why do I experience shoulder pain?
You may experience shoulder pain from a number of different reasons, most commonly we find these to be the biggest contributors:
- Poor Posture
- Overuse Injuries (repetitive movements)
- Job Demands
- Working Out
- Lifting weights improperly
- Old Injuries
The first step in treating your shoulder injury:
The first step in your recovery is receiving a medical diagnosis from an experienced professional like our chiropractors.
The treatment and prognosis of your shoulder injury vary on the severity of your pain and the extent of the injury itself, and usually starts with a throughout history and exam of the presenting pain. Treatments that may be recommended by our chiropractors at Lake Effect Chiropractic include chiropractic care, soft tissue manipulation/ treatment, rehabilitation exercises, if more progressive treatment is needed we may use our painless Class IV Summus Medical Laser.
If you are suffering from a sports-related injury, call us today at (989) 686-6808 to request your appointment at Lake Effect Chiropractic with our chiropractors.
How We Treat Shoulder Pain
Chiropractic Adjustments
At Lake Effect Chiropractic we specialize in chiropractic adjustments that improve overall health and get you feeling great.
Active Release Technique
Active Release Technique (ART) is a soft tissue therapy designed to rid injured areas of scar tissue. Here at Lake Effect Chiropractic, we incorporate ART in our treatment of musculoskeletal disorders to remedy injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, rotator cuff injuries, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, tennis elbow, headaches, and back pain. All of these conditions tend to have one thing in common: the result of an overused muscle.
Summus Class IV Medical Laser
Laser Therapy is the use of specific wavelengths of light (red and near-infrared) to stimulate the body's natural ability to heal. Improved healing time, pain reduction, increased blood circulation and decreased swelling are the major effects of laser energy. Summus Medical Lasers are designed to target the body's optimal light-absorbing complexes to treat pain and accelerate the healing process.
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)
IASTM is another option to resolve pain and tightness in the body. This approach to fascia and muscle work reduces friction which allows for precision, sensitivity and depth that cannot be accomplished with the hands, knuckles, elbows etc.
Therapeutic Exercises
Here at Lake Effect Chiropractic, we specialize in assisting our patients through physical rehabilitation to keep them healthy after they experience an injury or pain in any way.
Pulstar
If you are uncomfortable with the more traditional manual adjustments, the PulStar is an amazing option for light force chiropractic adjustments.
When should I see a chiropractor for my shoulder injury?
This is an important question to ask and to answer! Many shoulder injuries may be treated with chiropractic treatment. Whether it's an acute form of a shoulder injury that's flared up or a chronic type that you've been struggling with on and off for years.
It excites us to have new patients who have had other chiropractic experiences, what we do at Lake Effect Chiropractic is target the source of the problem and work to extinguish it! Getting the body moving, from the joints to the muscles, we know MOVEMENT IS MEDICINE!
Despite the fact that shoulder injuries are common, the seriousness of the injuries and the conditions that cause them to vary. What we do is different, your shoulder injury treatment is always individualized and we are here to help you with whatever pain you may be experiencing here in Bay City, Michigan.
We work together with the medical community to make sure you receive the proper care no matter what your condition may be, new or old, minor or serious, we want you to get back to a pain-free life and enjoy it!
What Causes Shoulder Pain?
There are multiple reasons why someone might start experiencing pain in their shoulder. Here is a list of some of the most common causes.
Rotator Cuff Injury
- The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that is afforded great mobility at the sacrifice of structural stability. Collectively, the primary function of the rotator cuff is to stabilize the shoulder while the larger muscles move it.
- Rotator cuff injury is the most common problem affecting the shoulder, accounting for 4.5 million physician office visits per year. Injuries range from a mild strain of a single tendon to a complete rupture of multiple tendons.
- Strains of the rotator cuff can occur abruptly from a solitary insult (falling, pushing, pulling, throwing, or lifting), but more commonly (>90%) develop from multiple factors, including repetitive injury or age-related attrition.
Impingement
- Shoulder Anterior Impingement Syndrome is caused when the supraspinatus tendon becomes painfully entrapped between the acromion and the greater tuberosity of the humerus during elevation and internal rotation of the arm.
- Repetitive impingement is thought to precipitate a cascade of shoulder dysfunction including supraspinatus tendon disruption, subacromial bursitis, biceps tendonitis, degeneration of associated joints and eventually, rotator cuff rupture.
- It is suggested that 95% of chronic rotator cuff tears are due to impingement.
AC Joint Sprain
- AC joint injuries are responsible for 40-50% of all athletic shoulder injuries. Injuries are common in adolescents and young adults who participate in contact sports, such as rugby, hockey, football, and wrestling.
- The peak incidence of injury occurs in the second through fourth decade of life.
- Males are affected five times more often than females.
- AC joint injuries most commonly occur following a fall onto the point of the shoulder with the arm in an adducted position.
- Also FOOSH injuries can lead to AC sprains. (Fall On Out Stretched Hand)
Scapular Dyskinesis
- Muscular imbalance, neurologic injury, or joint pathology are potential causes of scapular dyskinesis. The most common origin of scapular dyskinesis is muscular imbalance resulting from a combination of weakness, tightness, fatigue or altered activation.
- More common in the dominant shoulder.
- 100% of patients with shoulder impingement demonstrate scapular dyskinesis. Uncoordinated movement of the scapula and humerus leads to a loss of dynamic stability in the glenohumeral joint
- This leads to diminished rotator cuff strength.
Upper Crossed Syndrome
- A predictable pattern of alternating tightness and weakness involving the neck and shoulders.
- The condition frequently contributes to neck and back pain and is associated with diagnoses including cervical radiculopathy, cervicogenic headaches, cervicogenic vertigo, and rotator cuff pathology.
- Upper crossed syndrome is a direct result of "flexor-dominated" postures (i.e. forward use of the arms and head).
- This process begins in the classroom as a child and progresses with age throughout the working years at computer work stations.
What Patients Are Saying!
“I would recommend Lake Effect Chiropractic to anyone. A family member recommended I go there because I’ve had considerable neck & shoulder pain as well as headaches, for a number of years. Once I met Dr Brittany, and with her plan of action, we’ve become a team, working toward a much healthier future. I appreciate her professionalism & caring instruction, as well her effective treatments, in helping me to understand the why & how for my recovery.
Thank you to both doctors at Lake Effect Chiropractic & their staff for coming to Bay City!"
-K. Ball- Bay City, MI
I took my 13 year old daughter in to the office because she has battled with Foot and Shoulder pain for years.
She is very active in sports and we have tried everything from seeing specialists and Cortisone Shots. Every time with the same out come, it works for a while and then it doesn't. I am so happy we decided to go the chiropractic route! We have been going to see Dr. Ashley twice a week for the last month. After the first visit, I was skeptical because sure her pain felt better but we have been down this road before, I figured it wouldn't last. However over the last month my daughter has stated that her feet have never felt better than they do now.
Dr. Ashley worked her feet with Laser Treatment, working the foot muscles and gave her exercises to do at home. Her shoulders are working out well too! Some days they may be a little sore but again Dr. Ashley has adjusted, cupped and gave her exercises to do at home to help strengthen her muscles. Dr. Ashley and Dr. Brittany really cared and took time to research different exercises and reasons behind my daughter's pain. Instead of just sending me to another specialist or pushing cortisone shots to mask the pain. We love this office and recommend to anyone looking for relief from chronic pain!
- D. Russell- Bay City, MI
I have had neck and shoulder pain, after 2 visits no more pain thanks Ashley
- J. Sheneman- Saginaw, MI