The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint formed by the head of the humerus and the glenoid labrum. The humerus being the arm bone, and the glenoid labrum being the socket of the shoulder joint in the scapula. This incredibly mobile joint allows for great freedom of the arm, even more so then the hip joint. This extra mobility can make the shoulder joint less stable. The supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor are the four rotator cuff muscles surrounding the joint, allowing it to move freely and provide stability. Most of the shoulder pain that people suffer from is generated from one of these four muscles.

Shoulder pain can be caused by many things, from a sports injury to a car accident, or a chronic condition such as arthritis. Other times, you may not even know where the pain originates from, but you should still explore how LifeGiving Chiropractic can help you. There are several common causes of shoulder pain:

• Dislocation – A dislocated shoulder occurs when your upper arm bone, which connects to the shoulder socket, becomes out of place. This can often occur as a sports injury, slip and fall, or repeated use that stretches your muscles.

• Frozen Shoulder – Frozen shoulder is a layman’s term for a condition known as adhesive capsulitis. It’s a degenerative condition, meaning that it worsens over time instead of having a sudden onset, like a dislocation. The main symptoms of frozen shoulder are stiffness and pain at the joint and decreased range of motion.

• Shoulder Bursitis – This condition results from inflammation in the bursa, a small fluid-filled sac that acts as a barrier between your shoulder tendon and the bone. The bursa is meant to serve as a cushion, reducing erosion, friction, and abrasion between the muscle and bone. When the bursa becomes inflamed, it fails to do its job correctly and can result in the pain it is meant to prevent.

• Arthritis – Arthritis is a degenerative condition that worsens over time, with a slow onset. Unlike a shoulder dislocation, frozen shoulder, or shoulder bursitis, arthritis can affect any joint in the body. It’s caused by inflammation, and when it affects the shoulder joint causes pain or stiffness.

• Poor Posture – As with so many chiropractic conditions, shoulder pain does not have to result from a severe injury or chronic condition, but can also be caused by something as simple as poor posture. Sleeping on your side, which causes extended periods of shoulder pressure, can be one of these common causes.

Chiropractic adjustments for shoulder pain are used to address the underlying cause of pain. Even if a joint has not been dislocated, it may not be positioned in a way that allows the neuromuscular system to function properly. The body uses pain to let us know that something is not exactly right. Signals, registered as pain, will let us know that something needs attention. Chiropractic adjustments will gently shift your muscles and joints back into place, help you address any underlying posture disparities, or identify any serious conditions that will need additional physical training. If you are feeling any chronic shoulder pain, the skilled chiropractors as LifeGiving Chiropractic can help, contact us today!