Thoracic outlet syndrome is a condition in which the nerves or blood vessels that travel to the arm and hand are compressed between soft tissues near the side of the neck. Most people are able to manage their thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms through physical therapy. Specialized exercises can improve muscle balance and posture to lessenContinue Reading »
In conventional shoulder replacement surgery, the surgeon fits a plastic cup into the shoulder socket and attaches a metal ball to the top of the upper arm bone. But for some patients, especially those with muscle damage around the shoulder or large rotator cuff tears who have developed a complex type of shoulder arthritis, conventionalContinue Reading »
Your rotator cuff is a collection of muscles and tendons located where your upper arm meets your shoulder socket. Its primary purpose is to provide structural support to your body so that you can perform a wide range of arm movements, especially ones that involve overhead motion. These include manual labor activities—painting and carpentry, forContinue Reading »
One approach used in a rehabilitation program, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) uses an electric current to stimulate muscles to contract. Electrical impulses are thought to interrupt messages sent by pain receptors from the nerves to the brain. If the brain does not receive these messages, it does not recognize pain, and you do notContinue Reading »
Do you have a “SICK” scapula? No, not sick with a fever or a cold, but SICK—an abnormal condition of the shoulder blade. This condition is characterized by Scapular malposition: The scapula has moved to an abnormal position on the rib cage. Inferior medial border prominence: The scapula protrudes abnormally along the back.Continue Reading »
While every case is unique, the questions you should ask the surgeon are not. What will happen if I just wait out the pain? If I try physical therapy first, am I hurting the chances of a positive outcome from surgery? In The Bone & Joint Journal, January 2014, a study by lead author J.Continue Reading »
Are you an avid swimmer now sidelined by swimmer’s shoulder? You have plenty of company. Swimmer’s shoulder can develop from overuse, a change in your stroke or an increase in the intensity or duration of your swimming activity. Swimmers tend to have above-average flexibility and range of motion in the shoulder—that’s great for swimming.Continue Reading »
Most often affecting women between the ages of 35 and 65, rotator cuff calcific tendonitis is a common cause of shoulder pain. It happens when calcium phosphate is deposited in the rotator cuff tendons of the shoulder, and it can be very painful. Calcific deposits can form in the rotator cuff, a group ofContinue Reading »
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 If your shoulder is prone to recurrent dislocations, a surgery known as a Bankart procedure is often used to stabilize the joint. However, that surgery often fails because the repair is not strong enough or the shoulder socket is damaged. In that case, a shoulder boneContinue Reading »
NO! At least one recent study doesn’t support that idea. The University of North Carolina’s Department of Exercise and Sports Science performed a study ,funded by a grant from the Yawkey foundation, that attempted to answer the question of whether “curve balls” or “breaking” balls lead to increased chance of pitching arm injuries. Over the course ofContinue Reading »