Shoulder pain
A sore shoulder can make ordinary things, reaching, lifting, getting dressed, harder than they should be. We start by working out what’s actually driving it.
What people usually describe
- An ache that makes it hard to reach overhead
- Stiffness that limits how far your arm will rotate
- Pain that radiates into your neck or down your arm
- Numbness or tingling in your fingers
Not just the shoulder
The shoulder is often where the pain shows up, not where it started. The nerves that run to your shoulder come from your neck, so a joint that isn’t moving well there can refer pain, tingling or weakness down the arm. A tired core changes how your shoulder blade moves and picks up the slack. Even your feet play a part, how you walk and stand affects everything above it. We start by looking at how your neck, core and the rest of your spine move, not just the joint that hurts.
What's usually behind it
Three areas show up again and again when we look past the shoulder itself.
The neck
The nerves that supply your shoulder start in your neck. When the joints there aren’t moving well, it can show up as pain, tingling or weakness further down the arm.
The core
A weak or tired core changes how your shoulder blade and shoulder joint move, and that extra strain has to be picked up somewhere.
The feet and gait
It sounds unlikely, but how your feet strike the ground affects your posture all the way up. That chain of compensation can end at the shoulder.
How we'd approach it
The shoulder may be where it hurts, but treating it alone rarely holds. We look at the neck, the core and how you move as a whole.
At your first visitA thorough look at your shoulder, neck and the rest of your spine, so we’re working from the actual cause, not just the symptom.
What treatment usually includesHands-on adjustment and soft tissue work where it’s needed, plus exercises to rebuild strength around the joint.
Between visitsA plan built around your specific shoulder, so you know what to do and what to avoid while it settles.
One step at a time
A first visit starts with a proper look at your shoulder, neck and the rest of your spine, not just the joint that hurts. If we think this needs a different kind of care, we’ll say so.
