Chiropractic is great for shoulder pain

While most people go to see a chiropractor for back pain, neck pain or headaches, chiropractors can also help with shoulder pain. The shoulder is one of the most complex joints in the body and it is used so much, it can build up a lot of wear and tear, especially if things are not in proper alignment.

If you have ever played a sport where you have to do a throwing motion, you probably know how difficult it can be to work through a shoulder issue. Since the shoulder is so complex, most people don’t know how to stretch or move it properly which can make a shoulder injury worse. The shoulder is composed of a group of muscles that make up the “rotator cuff”. Most shoulder issues are due to some sort of injury to one or more of the muscles in the rotator cuff.

The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles: Subscapularis, Infraspinatus,Teres Minor, and Supraspinatus. These muscles are very powerful and unique, yet they all overlap each other in some way. Each muscle has a specific and different job, but because they overlap, an issue with one can lead to issues with the others.

The subscapularis primary function is internal rotation of the humerus. It helps in shoulder adduction and extension in certain positions.

The infraspinatus muscle’s role on the shoulder is primarily through external rotation. All of the rotator cuff muscles help provide stability, but the infraspinatus specifically plays a huge part in providing glenohumeral stability.

Teres minor is the smallest of the four muscles, and it stabilizes the ball-and-socket glenohumeral joint by helping hold the humeral head (ball) into the shallow glenoid cavity of the scapula (socket).

The supraspinatus muscle functions to initiate abduction, and it also helps depress the humeral head against the upward pull of the deltoid. It also helps with external rotation.

All these muscles work together to help you move your arm up, down, in, and out, and of course, it stabilizes your entire shoulder. Over time, when you have a big trauma or repetitive microtraumas to these muscles, scar tissue will start to build up in or around these muscles and you can start to lose the range of motion in your shoulder. When you lose enough range of motion, not only will you feel stiff and restricted, but you can also start to have pain and weakness in the shoulder or with certain arm movements.

Is surgery the best option for shoulder pain?

Most people think that surgery is the only option to treat shoulder pain, but that is simply not true. In fact, surgery should always be your last option after trying all other natural and safe options. Once you have shoulder surgery, there is no going back and oftentimes the outcome is worse. Most of the time, shoulder pain can be treated using conservative care. This may include chiropractic care and shoulder adjustments, physical therapy or rehab movements, exercise and strength training, and cleaning up your diet with foods that can help you heal. Before you schedule shoulder surgery, you should consult with a chiropractor and see how they can help you regain your shoulder movement, relieve pain, and get you back to playing the activities you want.

A chiropractor can help you with your shoulder pain by delivering adjustments to the shoulder, neck, and back to regain proper movement. A chiropractor can also help break down scar tissue in the muscles to help regain your range of motion and function. With regular spine and shoulder adjustments, soft tissue therapy, and proper diet and exercises, a chiropractor can help you recover and heal from a shoulder injury.

What sort of issues can chiropractic help with?

  • Subluxations of the AC joint

  • Frozen shoulder

  • Arthritis

  • Tendonitis

  • Bursitis

  • Tear in the rotator cuff

  • Rotator cuff sprains

At Atlas Chiropractic, we will get to the root of the issue to help resolve your shoulder pain. Not only will we check your shoulder and all of the muscles involved, but we will also make sure there is not another underlying issue coming from your neck, upper back, or rib cage. This is very common and not getting all of these areas checked may be the reason why you are getting temporary relief or not completely healing the shoulder. We will start with an initial exam to check the function of your shoulder and spine. From there, we will assess the specific treatment that you need to get feeling better and functioning to your highest potential. We have helped hundreds of people over the last 10 years. If you had a chance to check out our Google reviews, we have over 300 five-star reviews from patients who have had great experiences in our office. In fact we have the highest rated office in Boulder, Colorado!

If you want to talk to one of our doctors about your shoulder pain and how we can help you, please call our office at 303-442-5911. You can also fill out the web form below to request an appointment.