The shoulder is a very complicated joint involving an intersection between the collarbone, the shoulder blade, the socket of the humerus, and numerous intersecting ligaments and muscles including the trapezius, deltoid, pectorals, bicep/tricep, rotator cuff muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major, subscapularis), joint capsules, bursa, labrum, and AC ligaments. This leaves a very broad scope of potential conditions that can lead to pain, weakness, or loss of motion in the shoulder. Chiropractors have the training to examine and to order any tests required to diagnose shoulder problems. Some can be healed with gentle Chiropractic care (often requiring additional modalities of electric muscle stimulation or ultrasound treatments) in combination with home care exercises. Even the dreaded rotator cuff tear can sometimes be coaxed back and avoid surgery if the damage isn’t too severe. It appears to be very effective with frozen shoulder syndrome*.
*Francis X Murphy DC, Michael W Hall DC, Louis D’Amico, Anne M Jensen DC. Chiropractic management of frozen shoulder syndrome using a novel technique: A Retrospective Case Series of 50 Patients. JCM, Dec 2012, Vol 11. Issue 4, 267-272.