All about shoulders
The shoulder has an impresive range of motion but can be prone to instability.
The main shoulder joint is a ball and socket, which allows us to do so much with our arms. Our shoulder joints are not weight bearing (unlike our hips) and so we tend to see different problems. Less arthritis and joint replacements and more muscle tears and tendonopathies.
Anatomy
The 3 joints of the shoulder girdle are:
The geno-humeral joint: the ball and socket joint
The S/C joint: where the collar bone joins the sternum
The A/C joint where the collar bone joins the shoulder blade
You may have heard of the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is a set of 4 muscles which stabilise the ball and socket joint.
The 4 muscles of the rotator cuff are:
Supraspinatus
Infraspinatus,
Teres minor
Subscapularis
Common shoulder problems we see in the clinic include:
Instability of the G/H joint
Degeneration at the A/C joint
Impingement at the A/C joint.
Inflamation at the S/C joint
Tear of one of the rotator cuff muscles
Irritation and inflammation of one of the rotator cuff muscles
Shoulder pain can also be caused by problems in the neck, upper back and ribs so we will check those areas too.
How we can help
Ask your chiropractor to check your shoulder joints and muscles at your next visit. We will check your range of motion, feel for any abnormalities and use muscle tests to diagnose the problem. We will treat you with chiropractic adjustments, muscle releases, dry needling and exercises. We may refer you for an ultrasound scan if we suspect a rotator cuff tear. We have massage therapists available 6 days a week if we want to refer you for focused work on the muscles and soft tissues.
If you feel you've overdone it and want to discuss a niggle or a twinge, call us on 01747 851455. Or email me at hello@shaftesburychiropractic.co.uk
All the best,
Vanessa and the team.
