Adhesive capsulitis, commonly known as frozen shoulder, is a condition characterized by painful and restricted shoulder movement. It affects approximately 2-5% of the United States population, most frequently in adults aged 40 to 60. The condition develops gradually, beginning with a “freezing” phase in which movement becomes increasingly painful and limited. This stage can last […]
Comprehensive Treatment for Subacromial Pain Syndrome
Shoulder pain is a common complaint that drives patients to a doctor’s office, including chiropractic clinics. It’s estimated that about one-third of the population will experience shoulder pain at some point, with subacromial pain syndrome accounting for approximately two-thirds of these cases. Subacromial pain syndrome arises from issues in the subacromial space, located between the […]
Improving Shoulder Stability
The shoulder complex is comprised of four joints—glenohumeral, acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, and scapulothoracic—that coordinate with one another so that we can perform numerous activities with our upper extremities. In addition to the aforementioned joints, there are several primary muscles that stabilize the shoulder and allow it to move in its three primary planes: front (anterior), back […]
Hands-On Care for Shoulder Impingement Syndrome
Shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) is a very common cause of shoulder pain that affects about half of adults at some point in life. Essentially, the condition describes the pinching of pain-sensitive structures in the shoulder that restricts normal use or function, with raising the shoulder being a very common activity that triggers a painful reaction. […]
The Scapula’s Role in Shoulder Function
When a patient seeks care for shoulder pain, they usually point to the ball and socket glenohumeral joint as the source of their problem. However, a contributing cause of the patient’s shoulder pain and disability may actually be the scapula or shoulder blade and if scapular dyskinesis is present and untreated, the patient may not […]
The Multifactorial Problem of Frozen Shoulder
The condition that’s often referred to as frozen shoulder goes by many monikers: adhesive capsulitis, painful stiff shoulder, periarthritis, and idiopathic restriction of shoulder movement. Regardless of the name, frozen shoulder presents itself as a stiff, inflexible, and painful shoulder joint and it often arises in a mysterious way that’s sometimes difficult to trace. The […]
Preventing Shoulder Injuries in Athletes
Shoulder injuries are common in athletes, especially those requiring overhead repetitive movements at high velocity and extreme range of motion. For example, shoulder injuries account for 19% of injuries to baseball players and nearly 40% of injuries to swimmers. Because a shoulder injury can sideline an athlete and even prematurely end their season, a current […]
Suprascapular Nerve-Related Shoulder Pain
The shoulder is a very complex region that is comprised of multiple joints and muscle attachments, a strong joint capsular ligament, and multiple nerves and blood vessels that pass into the arm to bring motor and sensory function to the hand and fingers. One condition of the shoulder that may drive a patient to seek […]
Non-Surgical Care for Shoulder Instability
The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints of the body, which allows us to engage in overhead movements that make life easier. However, this comes at a cost. In order for the shoulder to have such a wide range of motion (ROM), it has less stability than most other joints. In fact, shoulder […]
Managing the Arthritic Shoulder
While the shoulder is comprised of four joints, it’s the ball and socket glenohumeral joint that may play the most important role when it comes to the wide range of motion of the upper arm. However, this mobility comes at the cost of stability, which makes the shoulder a common source of injury. Sometimes these […]