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ChineseThe shoulder is one of the most mobile joints, allowing your arm to make a 360-degree rotation. It is also one of the most used joints in the body, both in sports like tennis or baseball, and for work (painting walls, washing windows). In some cases, this overuse results in inflammation of a group of muscles and tendons, collectively known as the rotator cuff. This is the key element of the shoulder giving it its wide range of movements. In this article, we will explain why chiropractic for rotator cuff injury is the most effective type of therapy.
How Frequent Are Rotator Cuff Injuries?
Many people are not aware how frequently they use their shoulder on a daily basis. For professional athletes or people performing certain jobs, the shoulder is the most active part of the body.
Thus, some people are more at risk to develop rotator cuff injury. However, no one is safe from this inflammatory condition. The reality is that our bodies are subject to wear and tear from the moment we start moving independently, first as toddlers and then walking. Also, several conditions left untreated may lead to rotator cuff injury, especially bursitis, tendonitis or arthritis of the shoulder.
Recognizing the Symptoms of Rotator Cuff Injury
In some cases, you may think that you’ve just made a wrong move and this is why your shoulder is stiff and painful. That may be so. However, if you notice the following symptoms over several days, you may have developed rotator cuff injury:
• Dull ache at the back of the shoulder
• Muscle weakness when raising the arm above the head
• Restricted range of motions in the shoulder.
How Chiropractic for Rotator Cuff Injury Works
As explained above, some people develop rotator cuff injury because they ignored other inflammatory conditions, such as bursitis and tendonitis. This should be sufficient reason to understand that the RICE method (rest, ice, compress, elevate) does not work all the time.
A chiropractor will take a proactive approach to healing, instead of letting the injury heal by itself. Our body has mechanisms to fix some minor injuries, but not all of them. In the case of rotator cuff injury, you need to help your shoulder heal.
Here is how chiropractic for rotator cuff injury works:
1. Joint Adjustments Will Restore Balance in the Shoulder
The shoulder joint is a very complex mechanism. Every part must be in a precise position to ensure the full range of motion. In many cases, rotator cuff injury is triggered by a misalignment in the elements of the joint. Combined with intensive use, this can lead to inflammation and micro-tearing in the rotator cuff.
The chiropractor will easily find out if this is the case and apply various adjustment techniques to bring your shoulder back to its normal position.
2. Electrical Muscle Stimulation to Relax the Rotator Cuff Muscles
Inflammation and injury often lead to a permanent state of tension in the muscle. This amplifies both the pain and the stiffness you feel in your shoulder. Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is a safe and effective chiropractic technique to help muscles relax.
This is very important in the overall therapeutic plan, because healing starts when the muscles are in their natural relaxed state. This is when your body, helped by the chiropractor, can start fixing the damage.
3. Building Strength with Exercises
Finally, chiropractic for rotator cuff injury means making sure that you regain the full use of the shoulder. Also, it means trying to avoid future injuries. This can be done by strengthening the muscles around the shoulder and making them more resilient to intense effort.
Your chiropractic will teach you a series of exercised for this purpose. At the beginning, you will do the exercises during therapeutic sessions, but later you can do them at home, unsupervised.
Chiropractic for rotator cuff injury is the only natural and non-invasive proactive way of treating this condition. The injury will not heal by itself, so don’t wait until it becomes too painful. Find a chiropractor near you in our online directory and book your first appointment as soon as possible!
