Shoulder Pain in Throwing Athletes

Shoulder pain is a common sports-related injury, whether in grade school, middle school, high school, or college athletes, especially with the arm overhead. Shoulder injuries commonly hinders performance and even causes athletes to miss time, especially athletes that perform overhead activities (think of a tennis serve, a volleyball swing, or throwing a football). We want to help you get back on the playing field (or court) as quickly as possible!

Examination

At Elite Sport & Spine, our sports chiropractors begin the shoulder evaluation with a thorough exam. This allows us to determine the cause of the injury and whether further imaging is needed to rule out the possibility of structural damage. From here, we perform a functional exam on the individual. This allows us to determine how well they control the components of the shoulder joint. Many causes exist for why an athlete experiences shoulder pain when they use their arm overhead. The functional exam helps us pinpoint areas that are causing the pain.

Treatment

Treatment of shoulder injuries depends on what diagnosis is made following the evaluation. Usually, our sports chiropractors will perform a spinal or extremity manipulation to ensure proper motion of the affected joint. Research demonstrates an immediate improvement in both pain and range of motion at the shoulder following thoracic spine manipulation¹. In addition, our sports chiropractors will usually perform myofascial release on the affected tissues. This may be a manual form of myofascial release with the chiropractor using their hands or a form of instrument assisted soft tissue release. Both assist in freeing up myofascial restrictions to help improve proper joint motion. Then, our sports chiropractors teach and prescribe rehabilitation exercises to re-educate proper motion, strengthen under-active muscles, and provide the patient with tools to prevent re-injury.

This blog is part 1 of a series regarding the potential causes of shoulder pain. Stay tuned for more information! You can also visit our YouTube channel for shoulder exercises to improve function and reduce pain.

If you, or someone you know, are dealing with a shoulder injury, call (262)373-9168. Or click here to schedule your evaluation with one of our chiropractors today!

References

Strunce, Joseph B et al. “The immediate effects of thoracic spine and rib manipulation on subjects with primary complaints of shoulder pain” Journal of manual & manipulative therapy vol. 17,4 (2009): 230-6.