Kinetic Health

Frozen Shoulder, also known as Adhesive Capsulitis (AC), is a condition that is characterized by severe pain (especially at night), progressive shoulder stiffness, and loss of shoulder motion. The signs and symptoms of Frozen Shoulder usually begin gradually and worsen over time.

When attempting to resolve a shoulder injury, it is essential to understand anatomical inter-relationships, relative motions, and kinetic chain links between the various soft-tissue and osseous structures of the shoulder. Therefore, we will start with the shoulder joints.

In Part 2 of "Shoulder Injuries " we are going to take a look at the various muscles and soft tissue structures that attach to the shoulder, and their impact on the kinetic chain of a shoulder injury.

Rotator cuff injuries are a common problem in both the athletic and nonathletic populations. Early diagnosis is essential to identify causes, implement effective treatment, and prevent further injury. The rotator cuff is made up of four major muscles along with their associated tendons.

Each case of shoulder injury should be assessed and treated as a unique dysfunction that is specific to that individual. Certain cases will only involve local structures, while other cases can involve a much larger kinetic chain.

A lot of patients complain about numbness or tingling in their hands when working at the computer, driving their vehicle, or even when waking up in the morning. Many of these same patients also experience tight and restricted neck muscles, have shoulder tension, feel chest tightness, and even pain that can radiate down their arms and hands.

Resolving Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) can be challenging for even the most experienced of practitioners.(2) Most cases of TOS are initially best treated with Conservative Manual Therapies and exercise.(3; 4) In fact, manual therapy such as Motion Specific Release (MSR), should be the first line of treatment when addressing TOS.