Chiropractic Care and The Health of Your Shoulders
Chiropractic care is often thought to have applications strictly in the spine and neck. However, many fail to realize that chiropractic care has the ability to treat problems in all areas of the musculoskeletal system, even in places that may seem unrelated to the spine and the neck. An area in which chiropractic care is leading to improvement in poor musculoskeletal health outcomes is in the shoulders. People who experience chronic shoulder pain may have hidden injuries or stress.
The shoulders are crucial points in the musculoskeletal system, where a lot of stress is placed. When we lift something off the ground we are using our shoulders to pull the weight up. When we are taking something off of a shelf, the overhead movement is based in the shoulders. In so many different sports, proper functioning and movement in the shoulders is absolutely vital. We often take our shoulders for granted and when pain, discomfort, and injury occur in our shoulders, many individuals jump right to surgery or other types of invasive treatment options.
Chiropractic care should be considered when an individual is experiencing pain and/or discomfort in the shoulders. Sometimes, this pain can be rooted in a problem with the alignment in the upper part of the spine, known as the cervical spine. If a vertebra in the cervical spine is misaligned, then this could lead to a misaligned clavicle, or collar bone, which in turn places additional stress on the shoulder joint as the range of motion is altered or in some cases, completely inhibited.
The rotator cuff, which allows full circling of the shoulder joint, is one of the most sensitive parts of the shoulder and an alteration in the range of motion in the shoulder could mean serious problems for the shoulder. Many patients look past these alignment problems and eventually end up pursuing a treatment option that is ineffective and that may only last for a short period of time.
Chiropractic care can restore alignment in the spine, which in turn will lead to proper functioning and locomotion in the shoulder joints. There are many other problems that are seen in the shoulder joint but when chiropractic care targets alignment problems, it can effectively change the course of how the shoulder joint operates for years to come.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Donnie Ray Jones
