SHOULDER PAIN - Understanding and Treating Shoulder Conditions Naturally

Shoulder conditions can significantly impact daily life, given the critical role shoulders play in various movements. This article provides insights into common shoulder conditions, their causes, and natural remedies that can be used for treatment.

Explanation:

Rotator cuff injuries encompass a range of issues affecting the muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder. These injuries can include tendinitis (inflammation of the tendons), bursitis (inflammation of the bursa), and tears of the rotator cuff tendons. Symptoms often include shoulder pain, weakness, and limited range of motion, particularly when lifting the arm overhead.

Causes:

• Overuse or repetitive movements
• Acute injury or trauma
• Degenerative changes with age
• Poor posture or biomechanics

Natural Solutions:

• Rest and Ice: Reduce inflammation and pain during the acute phase.  A wrap on ice pack is very helpful to hold the ice onto the shoulder to free up your hands.
• Chiropractic Treatment: An adjustment can help to rectify the postural imbalances that so commonly lead to this condition and can take pressure off the tight rotator cuff muscles using dry needling or cupping during the consultation if your practitioner is training in these modalities.
• Vacuum Cupping: the shoulder has multiple layers of muscles surrounding it, and as a result cupping therapy is very beneficial in helping to break down the adhesions between these different layers of muscles to speed up healing.
• Trio of Creams: Apply all three creams to the shoulder area to address the bones, nerves, soft tissues and to increase the blood flow for healing. 

• Therapeutic Ultrasound: Apply the gel to the treatment head and use ultrasound for 6 minutes daily.  Apply Kirofix® Injury Relief Lotion and Bone Aid Relief Cream before the gel for even faster results, as the ultrasound drives the active ingredients deep into the rotator cuff muscles for healing.  
• TENS Machine:  If the pain from your rotator cuff muscles is getting unbearable, a TENS machine may help to give you a reprieve.  Applying the electrode pads either side of the pain can help to distract your mind from the pain.
• PlantEm Essentials FixEm Anti-Inflammatory: Taking one scoop of this powdered whole food daily can help to reduce inflammation from the inside.
• Strengthening Exercises: Once the acute, painful phase has resolved, it’s time to build strength and flexibility in the shoulder to prevent reoccurrence.  Focus on rotator cuff and scapular muscles to improve stability.  The resistance bands are a great way to rehabilitate the muscles around the shoulder. 
• Shoulder mobilisation:  Using a shoulder mobilizer attached to a closed door, you can use the pulley system to stretch your shoulder in every different direction to loosen the inevitable tight muscles that come from nursing an injury like this.

Explanation:

A supraspinatus tear primarily affects the supraspinatus muscle, one of the four muscles that make up the rotator cuff. This tear can be partial or full-thickness and results in pain, weakness, and difficulty in lifting the arm, especially in activities that require reaching overhead.

Causes:

• Intense physical activity
• Sudden movements
• Ageing and degeneration
• Repetitive overhead activities
• Fall onto an outstretched hand
• Poor posture

Natural Solutions:

• Rest and Ice: Reduce inflammation and pain during the acute phase.  A wrap on ice pack is a great way to get adequate compression during your icing protocol as well as freeing up your hands.
• Chiropractic Treatment: Postural imbalances frequently lead to rotator cuff tears. An adjustment designed to rectify the postural imbalances that so commonly lead to damaging the supraspinatus muscle.  If your Chiro is trained in using dry needling or cupping, these modalities will be extremely helpful in speeding up recovery. 
• Vacuum Cupping: paradoxical (unusual) movement of the shoulder due to muscular adhesions can certainly compound this issue.  Using the vacuum cupping set to release the adhesions and increase blood flow will be brilliant in speeding up healing.
• Trio of Creams: Apply all three creams to the shoulder area to address the nerve pain, muscle tear, inflammation and to increase the blood flow for healing

• Therapeutic Ultrasound: Using the therapeutic ultrasound for 6 minutes daily over the site of injury will help you to get professional results at home.  Apply Kirofix® Injury Relief Lotion and Bone Aid Relief Cream before the gel for even faster results, as the ultrasound drives the active ingredients deep into the supraspinatus muscle and surrounding muscles for faster healing.  
• TENS Machine:  If the pain from your rotator cuff tear is getting unbearable, a TENS machine may help to give you some relief.  Applying the electrode pads over the area of pain can help to distract your mind from the pain, while to body works to heal it from the inside.
• PlantEm Essentials FixEm Anti-Inflammatory: Reducing inflammation from the inside, using whole food products, can help with the recovery of the tear.  
• Strengthening Exercises: Once the acute, painful phase has resolved, it’s time to build strength in the shoulder to prevent reoccurrence.  Focus on rotator cuff and scapular muscles to improve stability.  The resistance bands are a great way to rehabilitate the muscles around the shoulder.
• Shoulder mobilisation:  Use a shoulder mobilizer attached to a closed door, after the tear has healed. The pulley system allows you to stretch your shoulder in every different direction to loosen the inevitable tight muscles that come from nursing an injury like this.

Explanation:

Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is characterised by stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint. It progresses through three stages, each with distinct symptoms and durations:

STAGE 1 - Freezing Stage (Painful Stage):

• Symptoms: Gradual onset of pain that worsens over time. Pain is often severe at night and can radiate down the arm.
• Duration: Typically lasts 6 weeks to 9 months.
• Impact: Limited range of motion due to pain; daily activities become increasingly difficult.

STAGE 2 - Frozen Stage (Stiff Stage):

• Symptoms: Pain may begin to diminish, but the shoulder becomes stiffer. Range of motion is significantly reduced.
• Duration: Generally lasts 4 to 6 months.
• Impact: Difficulty with movements such as reaching overhead or behind the back; daily tasks are challenging.

STAGE 3 - Thawing Stage (Recovery Stage):

• Symptoms: Gradual improvement in range of motion and a decrease in pain.
• Duration: Can last 6 months to 2 years.
• Impact: Slow return to normal activities as shoulder mobility improves.

Causes:

• Previous shoulder trauma 
• Prolonged immobilisation
• Diabetes
• Thyroid disorders
• Autoimmune diseases

Natural Solutions:

• Rest and Ice: Reduce inflammation and pain during the freezing phase.  The wrap on ice pack will become a great asset to help reduce the painful phase.  
• Chiropractic Treatment: Having the shoulder joint adjusted, as well as the surrounding joints like the Acomio-Clavicular Joint (AC joint) and the Sterno-Clavicular Joint (SC joint) may assist with recovery from frozen shoulder.  
• Vacuum Cupping: slide cupping is a great way to break up the adhesions of the capsule and surrounding muscles.  Conventional fixed cupping is also great for reducing the tension in the muscles and increasing the blood flow, which is pertinent for healing.
• Trio of Creams: Apply all three creams to the shoulder area to provide the building blocks that the body needs to repair the adhered capsule.  Three times per day is recommended.
• Therapeutic Ultrasound: Using the therapeutic ultrasound for 6 minutes over the joint surface on the continuous low setting will help to warm up the capsule to make it easier to mobilise the adhered capsule.  After using the shoulder mobiliser (see below), go back to using the ultrasound, but this time on the pulsed setting for 6 minutes.  

• TENS Machine:  If the pain from your frozen shoulder is getting unbearable, a TENS machine may help to give you some relief.  Applying the electrode pads over the area of pain can help to distract your mind from the pain, while to body works to heal it from the inside.
• PlantEm Essentials FixEm Anti-Inflammatory: Reducing inflammation by taking this whole food powder daily. 
• Strengthening Exercises: Once the acute, painful phase has resolved, it’s time to build strength in the shoulder to prevent reoccurrence.  Focus on rotator cuff and scapular muscles to improve stability.  The resistance bands are a great way to rehabilitate the muscles around the shoulder.
• Shoulder mobilisation:  Use the shoulder mobilizer regularly to break up the adhesions of the capsule to speed up progression through the stages to thaw faster.  

Explanation:

Shoulder impingement occurs when the rotator cuff tendons are pinched during arm movements, often due to poor posture, muscle imbalances, or repetitive activities. Symptoms include pain during shoulder movements, particularly when lifting the arm, and can lead to rotator cuff tears if untreated.

Causes:

• Poor posture

• Muscle imbalances
• Repetitive overhead activities
• Bone spurs

 

Natural Solutions:

• Rest and Ice:  Impingement creates inflammation, which can be reduced by using an icing protocol.  Wrap on ice for 10 minutes and then take it off for 10 minutes and repeat until the shoulder pain diminishes. 
• Chiropractic Treatment: Shoulder impingement requires the joints to be adjusted to remove the physical interference. Chiro’s that do dry needling can help to alleviate the compression of the muscles using this technique, reducing the impingement and alleviating the pain.  

• TENS Machine:  If the pain from your tendonitis pain is getting unbearable, a TENS machine may help to give you some relief.  Applying the electrode pads either side of the area of pain can help to distract your mind from the pain, while to body works to heal it from the inside.

• Vacuum Cupping: Fixed cupping on the surrounding rotator cuff muscles, pec and deltoid can significantly decrease the impingement at the shoulder.
• Trio of Creams: Apply all three creams to the shoulder area to assist with the nerve pain, soft tissue damage and to increase the circulation for optimal healing. 
• Therapeutic Ultrasound: Using the therapeutic ultrasound for 6 minutes on the pulsed setting over the outer, top aspect of the shoulder will assist in ridding the area of inflammation and help to speed up the recovery of the soft tissues involved in the impingement.  
• TENS Machine: Shoulder impingement can be quite painful, if the pain gets too much, the TENS machine may help to give you some relief.  Applying the electrode pads over the area of pain can help to distract your mind from the pain, while to body works to heal it from the inside.
• PlantEm Essentials FixEm Anti-Inflammatory: Taking this whole food powder in water regularly can help to reduce inflammation from the inside.  

Explanation:

Bursitis involves the inflammation of the bursae, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the joints, resulting in deep, achy pain, tenderness, and swelling. Shoulder bursitis can make simple movements painful and difficult, often exacerbated by repetitive motion or pressure on the shoulder.  Pain when moving the elbow above shoulder level is consistent with bursitis.  This condition is commonly caused by tightness in the rotator cuff muscles aggravating the bursa, causing it to swell and become a bursitis.

Causes:

• Repetitive movements
• Prolonged pressure on the shoulder
• Trauma or injury
• Infection

Natural Solutions:

• Rest and Ice: Wrap an ice pack over the shoulder to help reduce the inflammation and pain from the bursitis. 
• Chiropractic Treatment: Postural imbalances frequently lead to stretched rotator cuff muscles which aggravate the acromion bursa, causing inflammation and swelling. An adjustment designed to rectify the postural imbalances will go a long way to alleviating this condition.  Dry needling will be extremely helpful in relieving the muscle tension that contributes to bursitis.
• Vacuum Cupping: reducing muscular tension of the rotator cuff muscles using vacuum cupping at home can fast track healing of bursitis. 
• Trio of Creams: Apply all three creams to the shoulder area to address the bursitis, muscle tightness, inflammation and to increase the blood flow for healing. 
• Therapeutic Ultrasound: Using the therapeutic ultrasound for 6 minutes once or twice daily over the site of injury will help to heal the bursa effectively.  Apply Kirofix® Injury Relief Lotion and Bone Aid Relief Cream before the gel for even faster results.  
• PlantEm Essentials FixEm Anti-Inflammatory: Reducing inflammation from the inside, using whole food products, can help with the recovery of bursitis and the surrounding areas.  
• Strengthening Exercises: Once the acute, painful phase of the bursitis has resolved, it’s time to build strength in the shoulder to create optimal posture.  The resistance bands are the best way to achieve this. 
• Shoulder mobilisation:  An important part of rehabilitating a shoulder bursitis is mobilisation.  The shoulder mobilizer is the best way to do this, but it is important not to start this until the pain of the bursitis is completely resolved. 

Explanation:

Shoulder tendonitis involves inflammation of the tendons, causing pain and reduced range of motion. It often results from overuse or repetitive movements, leading to swelling and irritation of the tendons. The most common muscles involved is the suprasinatus tendon, which is one of the rotator cuff muscles.  Symptoms include a dull ache in the shoulder, tenderness, and sometimes swelling.  This is generally felt at the outer, top aspect of the shoulder.

Causes:

• Overuse or repetitive movements
• Sudden increase in activity
• Poor technique in sports or exercise
• Ageing and degeneration

Natural Solutions:

• Rest and Ice: Wrap an ice pack over the shoulder to help reduce the inflammation and pain from the tendonitis. Check out the treatment section below for the ice treatment protocol.
• Chiropractic Treatment: Postural imbalances frequently lead to stretched rotator cuff muscles which lead to tendonitis.  An adjustment designed to rectify the postural imbalances is wise to alleviate this condition.  Dry needling will be extremely helpful in relieving the muscle tension that leads to tendonitis in the first place. 
• TENS Machine:  If the pain from your tendonitis pain is getting unbearable, a TENS machine may help to give you some relief.  Applying the electrode pads either side of the area of pain can help to distract your mind from the pain, while to body works to heal it from the inside.
• Vacuum Cupping: reducing muscular tension of the muscles who’s tendons are inflamed using vacuum cupping at home can fast track healing. 

• Trio of Creams: Apply all three creams to the shoulder area to address the inflamed tendon, to reduce muscle tightness, and to increase circulation for healing. 
• Therapeutic Ultrasound: Using the therapeutic ultrasound for 6 minutes once or twice daily over the inflamed tendon and along the muscle belly is advised for fast tracking your healing process. Using Kirofix® Injury Relief Lotion and Bone Aid Relief Cream on the skin before applying the gel will provide what the body needs to heal the tendon more effectively.
• PlantEm Essentials FixEm Anti-Inflammatory: Consuming this whole food powder twice daily with really help reduce the inflammation from the inside.  
• Strengthening Exercises: Once the acute, painful phase of the bursitis has resolved, it’s time to build strength in the muscles that lead to the postural imbalance that leads to this condition in the first place.  Strengthen the rhomboids using the resistance bands and reduce the pec tension by stretching in a doorway.  This will bring the shoulders back and rebalance the posture taking pressure off the supraspinatus tendon to fast track healing.
• Shoulder mobilisation:  An important part of rehabilitating a shoulder tendonitis is reintroducing mobility.  The shoulder mobilizer attaches to the door an allows you to move the shoulder in all orientations for the best results.  

Explanation:

Calcific tendonitis is a condition where calcium deposits build up in the tendons of the shoulder, causing severe pain and inflammation. This condition often affects the rotator cuff tendons and can lead to significant discomfort and limited range of motion.

Causes:

• Unknown aetiology, but linked to metabolic diseases
• Overuse and repetitive stress
• Degenerative changes with ageing

Natural Solutions:

• Chiropractic Treatment: Calcific tendonitis leads to changes in surrounding joints that will respond well to an adjustment.  If your Chiro does dry needling to take tension out of the muscles with the calcific tendonitis, they will recover significantly faster.  
• Vacuum Cupping: reducing muscular tension of the muscles who’s tendons are calcified using vacuum cupping at home will dramatically decrease the dysfunction in those muscles that lead to the calcification in the first place. 
• Trio of Creams: Apply all three creams to the shoulder area to address the calcification in the tendon, to reduce muscle tightness, and to increase circulation for healing. 
• Therapeutic Ultrasound: Using the therapeutic ultrasound for 6 minutes once or twice daily over the calcified tendon can speed up the healing process. Using Kirofix® Injury Relief Lotion and Bone Aid Relief Cream is a must on the skin before applying the gel will provide what the body needs to reduce the calcium in the tendon more effectively.
• PlantEm Essentials FixEm Anti-Inflammatory: Consuming this whole food powder twice daily with really help to reduce the inflammation in and around the tendons involved.
• Strengthening Exercises: Once the acute, painful phase of the calcific tendonitis has resolved, it’s time to build strength in the muscles that lead to the postural imbalance that leads to this condition in the first place.  Check out the treatment section below on the best muscles to strengthen in shoulder conditions.
• Shoulder mobilisation:  An important part of rehabilitating calcific tendonitis is reintroducing mobility.  Check out the treatment section below for a description on how the shoulder mobilizer is the best tool for this job.  

Explanation:

Thoracic outlet syndrome involves the compression of nerves or blood vessels in the thoracic outlet, the space between the collarbone and first rib. This compression is often caused by a tightness in the pec (chest) muscles as well as a relative weakness in the (rhomboids) back muscles.  This results in a rounded shoulder posture that can lead to pain, numbness, and tingling in the shoulder and arm.  It can even be experienced as tingling, numbness or pain in the hand and fingers.  Symptoms often worsen with activities that involve raising the arms.

Causes:

• Anatomical defects (e.g. extra rib)

• Poor posture
• Trauma or injury
• Repetitive activities

Natural Solutions:

• Chiropractic Treatment: Postural imbalances frequently lead to a reduction in the space within the thoracic outlet.  An adjustment to correct the postural imbalances around the shoulder is the best place to start, followed by soft tissue work to reduce the tension in the pectoral (chest) muscles.  Dry needling is an extremely helpful modality in relieving the muscle tension that contributes to thoracic outlet syndrome.
• Vacuum Cupping: Reducing muscular tension of thence (chest) muscles using vacuum cupping at home is a great way to rebalance the posture and open up the thoracic outlet.
• Trio of Creams: Apply all three creams to the front of the shoulder and chest area.  Although a lot of the symptoms of thoracic outlet can be felt in the hands and fingers, the creams need to be applied at the area causing the symptoms. 

• Therapeutic Ultrasound: Using the therapeutic ultrasound for approximately 6 minutes once or twice daily over the pec (chest area) can help alleviate the inflammation in the thoracic outlet, and assist the body to repair any damage to the nerve and vessels.   
• PlantEm Essentials FixEm Anti-Inflammatory: Reducing inflammation from the inside, using whole food products, can help with the recovery of thoracic outlet syndrome.
• Strengthening Exercises: Balancing the muscles is critical in sorting out thoracic outlet syndrome.  The muscles of the back (rhomboids) need to be strengthen to pull the shoulders back and alleviate the pressure on the thoracic outlet directly. Using the resistance bands are a great way to add resistance to this exercise for faster results. 
• Shoulder mobilisation:  An important part of rehabilitating thoracic outlet syndrome is stretching the chest and shoulder to open up the thoracic outlet.  Using the shoulder mobilizer is an easy way to achieve movement in all directions.  

Check out this video for a visual on how to turn postural imbalance around.  

Explanation:

A dislocated bicep tendon occurs when the tendon slips out of its groove in the shoulder, often resulting from trauma or repetitive shoulder movements. This condition causes pain, instability, and sometimes a lack of strength in the arm.  For the bicep tendon to dislocate across into the chest, the transverse ligament must also have ruptured.  Once this has occurred once, the tendency for that person to re-dislocate the tendon is unfortunately much higher.  

Causes:

• Trauma or injury

• Repetitive overhead activities
• Shoulder instability
• Ageing and degeneration

Natural Solutions:

• Rest and Ice: Wrap an ice pack over the shoulder to help reduce the inflammation and pain from the dislocation, ensuring the front of the shoulder is covered. The recommended ice treatment protocol is found in the section below. 
• Chiropractic Treatment: The dislocated bicep tendon needs to be relocated back into the groove in the humerus (upper arm bone).  Not all Chiro’s do this treatment like we do at Life Balance Adjustment, so you may need to ring around to find a practitioner that knows what you’re talking about.
• Vacuum Cupping: reducing muscular tension of the muscles surrounding the shoulder is ideal in helping to restore normal tension in the bicep tendon, giving it a greater chance of staying in the bicipital groove once it has been relocated.  This can all be done simply and easily from home, giving professional results.

• Trio of Creams: Apply all three creams to the shoulder area to address the inflamed bicep tendon, to give it the greatest chance of remaining in place after it is adjusted.  The Heativate® Relief Cream will greatly increase the circulation for faster healing too. 
• Therapeutic Ultrasound: Using the therapeutic ultrasound for 6 minutes once or twice daily over the inflamed tendon and along the top of the bicep muscle belly is advised for speeding up healing. Using Kirofix® Injury Relief Lotion and Bone Aid Relief Cream on the skin before applying the gel will provide what the body needs to reduce the inflammation and size of the tendon more effectively, giving it even more hope of staying in place.
• PlantEm Essentials FixEm Anti-Inflammatory: Taking the anti-inflammatory powder twice daily with really help reduce the inflammation that inevitably occurs with a dislocated bicep tendon, from the inside.  
• Strengthening Exercises: Once the tendon has been confirmed to have remained in place after 48 hours, the aim is to strengthen the shoulder to help hold it in place.  Initially avoiding heavy overhead exercises and heavy weights going out the sides is recommended.  

At-Home Treatments for Shoulder Pain: Effective Solutions

Taking proactive steps to address shoulder pain at home can significantly aid in recovery and prevent further issues. Here are some effective treatments for these common shoulder conditions that give professional results at home:

Therapeutic Ultrasound is an advanced treatment that utilises high frequency sound waves to penetrate deep into shoulder tissues, offering a range of benefits for various shoulder conditions such as frozen shoulder, shoulder impingement, rotator cuff tears, bursitis, tendonitis, and calcific tendonitis. The gentle yet effective sound waves help to:

• Soothe inflammation
• Reduce swelling
• Promote faster healing
• Improve blood flow
• Break down scar tissue
• Enhance range of motion

To explore more and watch a video on how to use Therapeutic Ultrasound, click the image below.

Vacuum Cupping is an ancient therapy that provides deep tissue relief, making it highly effective for treating shoulder conditions. This therapy involves placing cups on the skin to create suction, drawing the skin and top layer of muscle up and into the cup to break away its adherence to the muscles below and to increase blood flow significantly.  Here's a summary of the great benefits you can look forward to experiencing with vacuum cupping:

• Release tight muscles
• Breaks up muscular adhesions
• Promote circulation
• Reduce pain
• Improve posture
• Encourage proper alignment and relieve strain

To learn more and watch a video on how to use Vacuum Cupping, click on the image below.

Introducing the TRIO of Creams – Bone Aid Relief Cream, Kirofix® Injury Relief Lotion, and Heativate® Relief Cream. These creams work synergistically to support optimal shoulder recovery.

Bone Aid Relief Cream

• Contains essential nutrients and building blocks such as Comfrey and Yarrow.
• Supports bone health, beneficial for conditions like arthritis, shoulder spurs, and calcific tendonitis.

 

Kirofix® Injury Relief Lotion

• Targets soft tissues surrounding the shoulder, including tendons, muscles, ligaments, bursae and the capsule.
• Eases pain and inflammation with active ingredients like Arnica, Kunzea, Yarrow, Glucosamine, and Magnesium.

 

Heativate® Relief Cream

• Stimulates blood flow to enhance nutrient delivery and accelerate healing.

• Activates with your own body heat.  The more you get your blood flowing, the more it will flow to the area where Heativate® has been applied, and the warmth produced is blissful.

To maximize the benefits:

1. Apply Bone Aid Relief Cream and Kirofix® Injury Relief Lotion before using the Therapeutic Ultrasound device on the pulsed setting.
2. After the ultrasound treatment, reapply all three creams to continue supporting recovery throughout the day.

To find out more, and to secure yourself this powerful trio of creams, click the image below. 

The TENS 4 in 1 Machine is a versatile device that can provide significant relief from shoulder pain. This machine offers four different modes to suit various pain management needs:

• TENS Mode: Electrical impulses help to block pain signals and release endorphins.
• Interferential Mode: Combines the electrical impulses from the two leads to drive the therapeutic effect even deeper than the TENS mode can.  Great for frozen shoulder, disc pain, endometriosis etc. 
• EMS Mode: Stimulates muscular contractions to assist with lymphatic return, making it brilliant for reducing excess fluid from your hands and feet. 
• Russian Training Mode: This unique feature allows for a comfortable contraction of the underlying muscles to strengthen them.  This is exceptional for building strength after injury, surgery and to improve postural imbalances. 

To learn more about the TENS 4 in 1 Machine and its benefits, click on the image below.  

PlantEm Essentials FixEm Anti-inflammatory is a whole food powdered product designed for easy consumption. The main hero ingredient is turmeric, known for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties. To enhance bioavailability and absorption, it is combined with black pepper and coconut. This blend is effective for managing shoulder conditions such as tendonitis, bursitis, and rotator cuff injuries. Benefits include:

• Reducing inflammation
• Promoting healing
• Enhancing nutrient absorption

To find out more about PlantEm Essentials FixEm Anti-inflammatory, click on the picture below.

Alternating between heat and ice can be effective in managing shoulder pain. Ice packs reduce inflammation, while warm compresses or hot showers ease muscular tension. 

The Ice-Heat Protocol is relatively simple.  Using the ice pack first for 10 minutes followed by heat for 10 minutes, and then alternating with ice and heat every 10 minutes thereafter.  Ensure the ice application is the final step.  After an hour, give the shoulder a break and reassess pain levels to decide if the protocol is still required.  If the pain level elevates again, start the protocol again.  Remember to always start and end in ice.  

If the shoulder throbs at all with the application of heat, switch to the ice only protocol which is 10 minutes of ice, followed by 10 minutes of nothing.  10 on, 10 off for an hour and then give the shoulder a rest and reassess.

Please note these important factors when using these protocols:

• Ensure there is a thin layer between your ice pack and the skin to prevent ice burns;
• Apply compression to the ice pack to get maximum benefit and assist in preventing further swelling;
• Test the temperature of the heat pack on an area of your body that hasn’t just been iced to ensure it isn’t too hot to cause a burn (the area that has just been iced will not be able to perceive the intensity of the heat at first); and
• Never go back to playing sport immediately after icing.

To explore the Wrap-On-Ice and heat pack system click on the image below.

Maintaining good posture is essential to prevent and manage shoulder conditions. Ensure that your chest muscles are not too tight and that your back muscles are strong to avoid rounded shoulder posture, which can lead to various shoulder issues. More on this below, including a video in the stretches and exercises section below to take you through how to rectify this imbalance.

Addressing proximal crossed syndrome, a postural imbalance in the shoulder and neck area, is crucial for preventing and managing shoulder conditions. This imbalance is quite obvious, even to the untrained eye, and appears as rounded shoulders. This involves stretching the pectoral (chest) muscles and strengthening the rhomboid (back) muscles to correct the imbalance. Proper alignment of the shoulder socket reduces strain on the rotator cuff tendons, preventing injuries and conditions such as:

• Rotator cuff injuries
• Supraspinatus tear
• Tendonitis
• Calcific tendonitis
• Bursitis
• Thoracic outlet syndrome
• Shoulder impingement
• Dislocated bicep tendon
• Frozen shoulder

Resistance bands are an excellent tool for strengthening the rhomboid muscles and performing rehabilitation exercises. Incorporating these exercises into your routine can significantly improve shoulder stability and function, and prevent reoccurrences in the future.

To find out more about resistance bands and their benefits, click the image below.

To watch a video on how to rectify the postural imbalance that leads to shoulder conditions click below.

Using a Shoulder Mobilizer can significantly improve mobility and support healing. It’s the next best thing to having a practitioner mobilise your shoulder joint in clinical practice. This shoulder mobilizer can encourage your shoulder to move in every direction, helping to alleviate muscular, tendon and capsular tightness. This tool is particularly beneficial after the acute phase of shoulder injuries. It helps by:

• Stretching and mobilising surrounding tissues
• Enhancing blood flow
• Reducing tension and promoting proper alignment

To learn more and see the Shoulder Mobilizer in action, click the image below.

When to See a Chiropractor

While at-home treatments can be highly effective, persistent or worsening pain should be evaluated by a healthcare professional. Dr. Kez at Life Balance Adjustments in Watsonia, VIC, offers comprehensive treatment plans that consider the whole body, not just the shoulder. Chiropractic care, including gentle adjustments, dry needling, and cupping, can address both the joint and muscular aspects of shoulder pain.

To book an in-clinic appointment or Telehealth with Dr. Kez, click the image below. 

Chiropractic Adjustments for Shoulder Pain

Chiropractic adjustments can realign the shoulder joint, reducing wear and tear and addressing issues like arthritis, tendonitis, and bursitis. Dr. Kez uses gentle techniques to nurture the shoulder back into place, ensuring proper joint alignment and reducing pain.

Dry needling and cupping are effective modalities for relieving tight muscles and restoring proper shoulder biomechanics. Whereby the dry needling can assist in eliminating lactic acid (waste product of muscle movement) from the tight muscles, cupping works at reducing the adhesion of the muscles.  Both modalities increase blood flow which is pertinent for healing and release muscles tension to assist with optimising biomechanical shoulder function.

These treatments can alleviate muscle tension, reduce lactic acid buildup, and promote independent muscle movement.

For professional evaluation and treatment, Dr. Kez offers comprehensive care to align joints, relieve muscle tension, and promote healing.

With these at-home treatments and professional care options, you can take charge of your shoulder health and work towards pain relief and recovery.