Shoulder injuries

Shoulder pain is a common problem treated by osteopaths. It is often caused by spending long periods of time sitting at desks, typing on the computer, or watching the television, as these activities all place strain on your shoulders, especially if you have bad posture (hunching).

• Impingement Syndrome (painful arc syndrome, swimmers arm or bowlers arm) occurs when a small space within the shoulder becomes inflamed making the arm painful to move when reaching up for things and lying on it at night.

• Frozen Shoulder or its medical name adhesive capsulitis occurs when the soft tissue structures surrounding the shoulder joint become inflamed and stiff. This can create a significant loss of movement in the shoulder joint and can last for up to 18 months.
• Rotator cuff strains and tears – the rotator cuff is a group of muscles in the shoulder that give it most of its stability. These can be strained or torn at work or in sport, which can lead to pain and weakness in the shoulder.

Osteopathic treatments for the shoulder involve looking at the whole shoulder region, which involves the neck, mid back and shoulder blade. By mobilising the shoulder, gently stretching the joint capsule, and prescribing the correct rehabilitative exercises, osteopathy can be very beneficial to most shoulder injuries.