The shoulder is made up of bones, joints and an intricate arrangement of muscles, tendons and ligaments. It is the most flexible joint in your body and its function is to position your hand in space. It’s considered a ‘ball and socket’ joint, however unlike the hip, also a ball and socket joint, the shoulder has far less stability. This is due to the fact that the ball of the hip is surrounded by the acetabulum, or socket of the pelvis. Conversely, the head of the humerus, or upper arm bone, sits in a very shallow socket, much like a golf ball on a tee. While this anatomy allows for a great deal of movement, it also predisposes the shoulder to inherent vulnerability and injury. The shoulder is susceptible to many consequences, including impingement, instability, tearing, dislocation and even fracture. Perhaps one of the most familiar pathologies involves injury to the rotator cuff muscles. Rotator cuff injury is the most common source of shoulder pain in the aging population and results in decreased ability of tissue to heal in response to everyday use and microtrauma. Depending on the phase of injury, most rotator cuff pathology can be managed nonoperatively with the use of modalities including ice, interferential current, ultrasound, transverse friction massage and gentle range of motion exercises. If the injury is chronic, injection therapies including Regenerative Injection Therapy, Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy or even Steroid Injections may be helpful. If surgical intervention is required, today’s procedures can generally manage complete repair. If you are experiencing shoulder pain, suffer no more. Help is available! For a more in-depth read on natural treatment options, follow the link to this week's article in the Billings Gazette!
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