Shoulder Pain? It Could Be Coming from Three Different Body Parts

One of the commonly seen aches and discomforts in the office is in the shoulder. (Not as often as neck and low back and headaches, but still pretty high up there). It was actually one of the challenges that got me to see a chiropractor way back when!

When it comes to figuring out what needs to get fixed in that region, we actually want to take a look at three regions – the neck, the upper back, and the shoulder itself. Yes, the shoulder can have arthritis, strains, or tears along the soft tissues (including the rotator cuff), but the cervical spine and thoracic spine alignment plays a big role into shoulder function. This is because spine issues cause the shoulders to work a lot harder, and they start to over-compensate to get the same movements.

When the neck alignment starts to hurt the shoulder, it’s usually because the head is going too far forward. Beyond adjustments, something simple that you can do is to consciously think about holding your head at the same plane as the shoulder, as it would be seen from the side. It may feel awkward at first, but your spine (and shoulder) will thank you!

- Dr. Scott Minton