Your shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint made up of three dominant bones—the humerus, clavicle and scapula. The rotator cuff consists of a group of four tendons and associated muscles that collectively work to keep the arm bone within the socket of your shoulder bladewhile allowing your arm to raise and rotate. Although damage to the rotatorContinue Reading »
If you have dislocated your shoulder,choosing the best mode of treatment to get you moving and free from pain as quickly as possible can be a real challenge. One kind of shoulder dislocation, multidirectional shoulder instability, tends to occur in younger adults and may need surgery, along with physical therapy, to provide relief. Care shouldContinue Reading »
Swimmer’s shoulder is very common in young competitive swimmers. In this condition, several soft structures in the shoulder—the bicep tendon, the rotator cuff and the bursa—are impinged, or compressed, by the bony parts of the joint and become inflamed and painful. The condition can affect any swimmer, but those who specialize in freestyle or butterflyContinue Reading »
Do you have a rotator cuff tear? Listen to this video to learn more about the signs and symptoms of a rotator cuff tear. Playing the waiting game and hoping it gets better is not always a wise choice. Waiting too long can result in a shoulder that can't be surgically repaired. Feel free toContinue Reading »
Whether or not a patient requires surgery after being diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear is a common discussion at the clinic. Just like with most injuries, not all rotator cuff tears are created equal. Before the decision to go in for surgery is made, there are a few factors to be considered: size ofContinue 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 »
A recent article in the Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy in February 2012 highlighted a case study that used thoracic spinal manipulation in the treatment of primary and secondary adhesive capsulitis or “frozen shoulder“. Typically a patient who suffers from adhesive capsulitis goes through a series of stages. At the start a patient demonstratesContinue Reading »