Shoulder Pain 

Delving into the most common cause – shoulder impingement!

Especially as it is one of the most common complaints Osteopaths treat.

Say ‘shoulder’ and most people think of a ball and socket joint. This joint does indeed make up a large part of the shoulder, but there is much more to it than that. Over the top of the joint sits a bony ‘bridge’ which is made up of the collar bone (the clavicle), shoulder blade (specifically the acromion) and a joint which connects the two. Beneath the bridge and above the joint is a small gap called the sub-acromial space (sub = underneath).

It is within this space that an impingement can occur and if present, may cause pain when moving the arm. This is a common shoulder complaint that our Osteopaths see.

 

Signs and symptoms

If you have a shoulder impingement, you may experience any or all of the following:

• Pain when moving the arm (e.g. our cricketer above may feel pain when throwing)
• Decreased range of motion in the shoulder
• Weakness when using the arm on the affected side
• Reduced ability to perform everyday tasks such as reaching up high in a cupboard, doing up a bra, putting on a coat or holding/lifting a child

 

Osteopathic Treatment for shoulder pain

After some thorough questioning and assessment, we will work out what lifestyle or movement factors are responsible for your pain. We’ll get to work with our hands straight away .  Using a combination of soft tissue massage, joint mobilisation and many other techniques. Our aim is to reduce your pain and get you moving better. Someone with a shoulder problem nearly always has an issue related to neck or back movement, so don’t be surprised if we go looking further afield on the body for answers to your problem.

 

It’s a team effort!

When it comes to any lifestyle advice, whether it’s the hobbies you have or the way you sleep, we’ve also got you covered! Remember, it’s a team effort – we will educate you on what you need to do, but you need to be the one to do it at the end of the day. We know it’s hard to keep motivated, but rest assured we will always be there on those days when you need a hand!

 

If you are needing to have your shoulder pain assessed and treated- you can book your appointment online today, by clicking here or call 08 9485 2800 to speak with someone today.