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The Shallow Socket
Whether you are pitching a fast ball, hurling a grenade, taking a tee shot at the golf course, delivering an overhead serve in tennis, lifting a laughing child in the air, or just putting something away on a high shelf, your shoulder is involved. While shoulder function involves a complex interaction among your upper arm bone (humerus), shoulder blade (scapula), and collar bone (clavicle), the star of the show is definitely the ball and socket joint. It is formed by the rounded head of the humerus meeting a socket or cavity on the outside of the scapula. This is called the glenohumeral joint, and it is responsible for giving your shoulder a greater range of motion than any other part of your body.
It turns out that the socket of the glenohumeral joint is shallow. What holds the joint together is a structure formed by the muscles that rotate the shoulder. The tendons of these muscles form a cuff that deepens the socket. This is the rotator cuff. Injuries or overuse of the shoulder can strain or sprain the rotator cuff.
Control and Coordination
In chiropractic care, we encounter rotator cuff problems frequently. In addition to examining shoulder joints and muscles, we carefully check the portions of the spine that supply nerve control to the rotator muscles. These nerves primarily exit the spine at the fifth and sixth cervical vertebra in the middle of your neck. In some cases, joint problems above or below these vertebrae can indirectly affect the same nerves. Therefore, we also check the upper cervical and upper thoracic areas.
Chiropractic adjustments are designed to correct the alignment and mechanics of the vertebrae, thereby removing a source of stress to the spinal nerves. When cervical and/or thoracic adjustments are called for, the nerve “circuitry” is better able to control and coordinate the rotator muscles. This often relieves the strained or over-used shoulder. Preventing and relieving stress on these nerves in your neck and upper back is an essential component of maintaining good shoulder health. In terms of helping yourself, your head-neck posture comes into play.
The Mirror Trick
When doing a great deal of paperwork or computer tasks, it is very easy to find your head migrating forward. This head-forward posture distorts the mechanics of your neck and upper back. This is just what your shoulder doesn’t need! Try to check in on your posture at least once an hour when doing this sort of work.
Another situation that frequently causes a head-forward posture is driving. This is especially common when driving a long distance or navigating through rough traffic. Without realizing it, many people instinctively respond to stressful driving by scrunching into an angry head-forward posture.
To prevent this, you can install an automatic posture checker without spending a dime. When you get into your car, sit reasonably tall, with your head well balanced on your shoulders. Then, adjust your rear-view mirror. Now if you slouch your head forward, you will lose your rear view. Most people will immediately lengthen out of their slouch and resume a healthy balanced posture. That’s certainly better than crashing your car!
About the Author
While serving as a medical specialist (MOS 91-B) in the U.S. Army Reserve, Dr. Masarsky earned his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from New York Chiropractic College in 1981. He is in the private practice of chiropractic in the Virginia suburbs of Washington D.C. with his wife and partner, Dr. Marion Todres-Masarsky. For research citations related to this article, contact Dr. Masarsky at viennachiropractic@verizon.net. Also visit his practice’s website and You Tube channel.
Sources for This Article:
Drzewiecki M. Resolution of Frozen Shoulder in a 68-Year-Old Male Following Chiropractic Care: A Case Study. Ann Vert Sublux Res, 2020 (Jul): 9-102. Abstract: https://www.vertebralsubluxationresearch.com/2020/06/01/resolution-of-frozen-shoulder-in-a-68-year-old-male-following-chiropractic-care-a-case-study/
Vinuesa-Montoya S, Aguilar-Ferrandiz Me, Mataran-Penarrocha GA, Fernandez-Sanchez M. A Preliminary Randomized Clinical Trial on the Effect of Cervicothoracic Manipulation Plus Supervised Exercises vs a Home Exercise Program for the Treatment of Shoulder Impingement. J Chiropr Med, 2017; 16(2): 85-93. Abstract: A Preliminary Randomized Clinical Trial on the Effect of Cervicothoracic Manipulation Plus Supervised Exercises vs a Home Exercise Program for the Treatment of Shoulder Impingement - PMC (nih.gov)
