The shoulder is one of the most complex joints in the body! Shoulder pain is also far too common in today’s population. Fortunately, shoulder injuries like rotator cuff tears, tendonitis, labral tears, shoulder impingement, and AC joint sprains can often be treated with conservative treatments like chiropractic and rehabilitative therapy! Keep reading to learn about common conditions that we successfully treat at Michigan Complete Chiropractic & Rehab

Shoulder pain can be caused by muscular tension, overhead throwing, lifestyle factors, poor posture, improper biomechanics, and stress.

The main players in the shoulder joint include:

Glenohumeral Joint: the joint formed by the upper arm bone and the shoulder blade
Labrum: the cartilage cup that helps support the glenohumeral joint
Rotator Cuff: a series of 4 muscles that hold the glenohumeral joint in place and allow for movements.
AC Joint: the joint formed between the collarbone and shoulder blade.

A combination of these structures or a single one can be a source of irritation when someone has shoulder pain. Because of its complexity, there are other areas of the body that can influence the shoulder causing or contributing to shoulder pain.

Are you experiencing shoulder pain? Here are some common causes.

Shoulder pain is often the result of poor soft tissue function and muscular activation unless acute or overuse trauma has occurred.
Poor breathing strategies can also contribute as they require certain muscles of the chest, shoulders, and neck to become overactive, causing pain within the neck, shoulders, arms, and hands.
Neck: problems in the neck such as a pinched nerve can refer pain to the shoulder.
Upper Back: lacking mobility in the upper back is a common contributor to shoulder pain.

We conservatively treat a variety of shoulder complaints at Michigan Complete Chiropractic & Rehab

Shoulder Impingement

Impingement is the most common shoulder disorder and accounts for about half of all shoulder complaints seen by physicians. Those who perform repetitive overhead activity are at greater risk for impingement. This includes athletes who participate in: swimming, baseball, volleyball, weightlifting, and tennis as well as jobs like carpenters, electricians, painters, and wall paper hangers.

What it feels like:
Impingement often starts after a period of overuse. Initially, your symptoms may be limited to a sharp pain during overhead activity or while reaching behind the back to fasten a bra or close a zipper. As your condition progresses, you may develop a constant ache that is present even at rest. Nighttime pain is common, often disrupting sleep.

What to do next:
This issue is RARELY requires surgery. Treatment involves limiting the painful movements while building strength and flexibility around the shoulder and shoulder blade.

Rotator Cuff Injuries

Rotator Cuff Injuries can include tendinopathies, strains, and tears. The majority of rotator cuff injuries are due to repeated stress and overuse, while a small percentage result from a slip or fall.

What it feels like:
Symptoms of a rotator cuff injury can include pain on the outside portion of the shoulder, shoulder weakness, pain that’s worse at night, and difficulty raising the arm overhead.

What to do next:
Patients who have suffered an acute tear or rupture may require surgery, while most others will benefit from conservative treatments, like the type provided in this office.

Be sure to avoid painful overhead activity or carrying heavy objects. Try not to sleep on your irritated side, especially with your arm stretched overhead. You may benefit by sleeping on your unaffected side with a pillow between your arm and trunk.

Have it properly evaluated to determine if conservative care is right for you!

Labral Tear

Its estimated that approximately 60 percent of the general population may have a shoulder labral tear. Athletes, especially baseball, softball, football, volleyball player and swimmers are even more susceptible due to the overhead nature of their sport. However, not all people with labral tears experience pain or symptoms.

What it feels like:
Complaints often include a deep, vague non-specific shoulder pain that is aggravated by reaching overhead or moving your arm across your body.

Although non-surgical treatment of labral tears is not always successful, most experts, including the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, recommends trying conservative care prior to considering surgery.

What to do next:
Your initial treatment will focus on reducing inflammation. You should avoid activities that cause pain, particularly throwing. As your symptoms improve, you will be taught progressively more challenging exercises to help you recover.

AC Joint Sprain

An AC joint sprain is a very common sports injury. It usually occurs due to a fall on the shoulder or an outstretched hand injuring a ligament that supports the joint. Significant tears in that ligament can allow your collarbone to move upward, out of its normal position, creating a raised bump under your skin.

What to do next:
Most AC joint sprains are best managed conservatively with a combination of chiropractic and corrective exercise.

A complete thorough evaluation is key!

You may have noticed many shoulder injuries mimic each other in how they feel and what symptoms may be present. Dr. Baldwin has gone through extensive schooling and extra-curricular training to be able to properly diagnose and treat injuries of the shoulder.

Dr. Baldwin will work with you and present you with the best possible treatment options for your shoulder injury. Shoulder injuries are often resolved through our conservative treatment approach and this should be attempted first before surgery. If the goals we set together are not achieved in a timely manor or the pain begins to worsen, advanced imaging (x-ray or MRI) or orthopedic consult may be warranted and will be discussed with you.