Shoulder Pain: Case Study

Patient: Tim, from Williamsville, NY

History: Right shoulder pain, achy all the time and sharp with certain movements. Pain intensity would get up to a 7 out of 10.

Primary diagnosis: Muscle adhesion in the rotator cuff muscles

Treatment: Manual Adhesion Release™ to the rotator cuff muscles.

Outcome: After 4 treatments, Tim’s shoulder range of motion was fully restored. His shoulder range stayed full even after a month of no treatment. Overall, his symptoms were 90% better after his last visit and are continuing to improve.

To evaluate the health of your shoulders try the mobility assessment outlined below at home.

Passing this mobility screen is crucial to have a pain-free shoulder and prevent injury. If you have shoulder pain or have failed this mobility assessment, then contact us today so we can restore this test and fix your pain.

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.
Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor

Part 2: How can adhesion lead to pain?

Part 2 of 3: click here for part 1

In part one, we covered how adhesions form, but how can adhesion lead to all of the following problems?

  • Neck pain
  • Low back pain
  • Disc injuries
  • Carpal tunnel
  • Tennis elbow
  • Golfers elbow
  • Headaches
  • Plantar Fasciitis

Adhesions can create abnormal movement of a joint resulting in pain. The easiest way to visualize this is to look at the shoulder joint. To simplify things, we will discuss the rotator cuff muscles, as they play the largest role in maintaining proper positioning of the shoulder joint. The rotator cuff is a group of 4 muscles that surround your shoulder.

If you were to lift your arms overhead, with or without weight, the rotator cuff muscles keep the joint in proper position.

Muscles adhesions will act like glue and limit the strength and flexibility of the muscles. Adhesions will limit the muscles ability to maintain proper joint position resulting in shoulder impingement. This can set the stage for bursitis, rotator cuff tear, and shoulder pain, especially in the front and outside of your shoulder.

We could break down every joint in the body the same way and the root cause would likely be altered joint movement from muscle adhesions.

Next time, we will explain what to do if you have pain.

Part 3: How to diagnose and treat adhesion?

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice. Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor