Shoulder and Elbow pain 

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder and elbow pain are often related conditions, whether they occur independently or together. This is due to the close functional connection between these joints, shared muscles, tendons, and movement patterns in your upper body.

What Causes Shoulder Pain?

Shoulder pain frequently involves the complex ball-and-socket joint where your upper arm bone meets your shoulder blade. It also includes the surrounding rotator cuff muscles, tendons, and bursae that provide stability and enable the wide range of motion needed for overhead activities, reaching, and lifting.

Common shoulder conditions we see include:

• Rotator cuff tears or tendinitis from overuse or degenerative changes.

• Impingement syndrome, where soft tissues become pinched between bone structures during arm elevation.

• Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), which causes progressive stiffness and pain.

• Instability from ligament laxity or previous dislocations that affect the joint's ability to maintain proper positioning during movement.

Our Treatment Approach

When you come to us with shoulder pain, our approach goes beyond just the painful area. We conduct a thorough assessment to understand the specific cause of your discomfort, considering the intricate mechanics of your shoulder joint, its surrounding muscles like the rotator cuff, and how it connects to your neck, upper back, and even your elbow. Our treatment involves a range of gentle, hands-on techniques such as soft tissue massage to release muscle tension, joint mobilisation to improve range of motion, and muscle energy techniques to restore balance. We also provide targeted exercises and practical advice on posture and movement to help reduce pain, improve function, and prevent future recurrence, ensuring a comprehensive path to recovery

Elbow Pain

Elbow pain typically affects the hinge joint where your upper arm bone connects to your forearm bones. Common presentations include:

• Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow): Often due to overuse of the forearm extensor muscles.

• Medial epicondylitis (golfer's elbow): Affecting the flexor muscles.

• Cubital tunnel syndrome: Caused by compression of the ulnar nerve as it passes around the inside of your elbow.

The Shoulder-Elbow Connection

The shoulder and elbow are functionally connected through muscles like the biceps and triceps that cross both joints. This means dysfunction in one area often affects the other through altered movement patterns, compensatory behaviours, or referred pain pathways. Poor posture, particularly forward head and rounded shoulder positions from prolonged computer work, can contribute to both shoulder and elbow problems by altering joint mechanics and muscle activation patterns.

Our Treatment Approach

Our treatment considerations address the kinetic chain relationship between these joints. We examine factors like scapular stability, thoracic spine mobility, neck position, and grip strength. We also look at occupational or recreational activities that may be contributing to repetitive stress or overuse patterns affecting both areas, ensuring a comprehensive approach to your recovery.