One of the most common reasons patients visits a chiropractic office is a non-surgical care to address shoulder impingement syndrome. Dr. Woodward manages shoulder pain with a combination of manual therapies and exercises targeted at the shoulder joint.
The scientific literature shows the best approach to shoulder impingement syndrome includes exercise. However manual therapies for the shoulder also add additional benefits.
Two recent studies suggest that spinal manipulative therapy to the mid back can lead to better outcomes for the shoulder impingement syndrome patient. Both studies demonstrated that spinal manipulation applied to the mid-back can lessen shoulder pain. It can also improve shoulder joint range of motion without administering any treatment directly on the shoulder.
This suggests that mid-back dysfunction may play a role, in many cases of shoulder impingement syndrome. Patients with shoulder issues should receive a thorough examination. This is to identify all possible contributing factors to the patient’s musculoskeletal pain and disability. Even those outside the area of chief complaint. Chiropractors are trained to do when assessing a new patient.
