The shoulder is a ball and socket joint and allows us to perform a range of activities, from driving, to playing tennis. It is an important joint for the upper body, as it acts as both a mobiliser and stabilizer for the arm, with more emphasis on mobility.

Because our shoulders are mobile, we often sustain injuries to our shoulders, including our rotator cuff sprains, and shoulder impingement. Your Osteopath will be able to assist in the diagnosis of your shoulder and provide treatment.

From an osteopathic viewpoint, we would want to ensure that your shoulder maintains the ability to move freely, through its full range of movement. We also would look to improve the structures around your shoulder, such as the shoulder blade and the spine, to ensure they all work together as one unit. There may be incidences when we would not work directly on the shoulder (If you may have a recent dislocation, or acute tendinitis), and this is where Osteopathy shines. Treating these other areas will aim to improve the healing process, reduce local pain, so that recovery time can be reduced.

Exercise can also be useful to strengthen and stabilize the shoulder to ensure our shoulders are up to the task of our everyday activities. Depending on the injury at hand, exercises will be chosen to improve the strength of the joint, whilst preventing overloading of the structures.

There are, of course, times in which shoulder pain may not come from the shoulder itself, and it may need referral to your GP for further testing. Your Osteopath is qualified to identify when further investigations may be required.

Whether you are looking to get back in the swing of tennis, or recover from a frozen shoulder, your Osteopaths are here to help you.