
We are proud to be servicing the CBD and have many patients who work in offices across the city. Today’s high work demand in offices has us seeing more and more complaints for shoulder pain. Shoulder discomfort can be complex, as there are usually several factors contributing to the presentation. Causes can be due to trauma, wear and tear, or secondary to other pathologies. However, majority of the shoulder complaints we see in clinic are due to poor posture.
Feel free to ask your chiro about any discomfort you may be experiencing in your arms and legs. Your chiro can also give recommendations for ergonomic workspaces to reduce those everyday strains.
Sources of shoulder pain could originate from arthritic changes in the cervical spine, as well the shoulder joint itself. Referral patterns are usually a dull ache across the sides of the shoulders, across part of the chest, and can travel as far towards the elbow. As the nerves exit the neck, they bundle at specific areas before travelling down the arm. There are also the rotator cuff group of muscles that hold the arm into the shoulder socket. They allow the arm to move in multiple ranges, while stabilising the shoulder complex. When we do repetitive motions, or overexert, possible entrapment can occur, producing symptoms at the shoulder and arm. Degenerative wear or strain of the rotator cuff is common chronic condition, causing pain from lifting the arm past horizontal and pain from sleeping on the affected side.
Our treatments aim to decrease symptoms through improving joint function, decreasing muscle tension, and ultimately, retraining better muscle movement patterns of the shoulder.