What are the signs of a shoulder injury?
Shoulder pain can be the result of specific injuries — like falling on an outstretched arm or throwing a ball — or may come out of nowhere when you wake up one morning. Common signs of shoulder injuries include:
- Pain within, in front of, behind, or on top of the shoulder joint
- Stiffness in the shoulder
- Instability in the shoulder
- Weakness of the muscles around the shoulder
- Abnormal posture on one shoulder compared with the other
- Inability to raise the arm overhead
- Popping, clicking, or snapping in the shoulder area
Shoulder pain may be a mild ache or may involve instability and weakness; it’s also possible to have numbness and tingling down your arm. To understand the cause of your shoulder pain or injury, the AllCare Chiropractic team performs an exam of your shoulder.
What causes shoulder pain?
Shoulder pain has many causes that can be treated with chiropractic care and physical therapy. Common causes of shoulder pain include:
- Tendinitis
- Rotator cuff tears
- Shoulder instability
- Bursitis
- Frozen shoulder syndrome
- Arthritis
- Muscle imbalances
- Poor posture
Since the shoulder is a shallow ball-and-socket joint, it has the largest range of motion of any joint in the body — though that predisposes it to injury and pain more easily than other joints.
How is shoulder pain diagnosed?
To determine the cause of your shoulder pain, the team begins with a consultation to learn about your symptoms, any previous shoulder injuries you may have had, and positions or activities that make your pain worse. Afterward, the team performs a complete physical exam of your shoulder.
Your exam begins with measurements of the range of motion in your shoulder and assessments of the strength of the muscles in the area. If you have numbness or tingling, your nerves are also tested for abnormal sensations.
Orthopedic tests are also included in your exam and involve putting your shoulder into unusual positions or postures that may be uncomfortable. The team member will also press on areas around your shoulder to check for signs of tenderness, swelling, and instability.
Based on your exam, the team may order X-rays or an MRI of your shoulder. After the exam and any necessary imaging, the team explains your diagnosis and recommends a treatment strategy.
How is shoulder pain treated?
Depending on your diagnosis, your treatment strategy may incorporate chiropractic care, physiotherapy, or rehab. The first step is getting you out of pain and relieving any inflammation or swelling at your shoulder joint. Then, the team ensures your range of motion is restored — if it was limited — and begins a strengthening program to stabilize your shoulder.
Schedule a visit at AllCare Chiropractic today for relief from shoulder pain. Just call or click now.
