Why Does My Shoulder Feel So Stiff?

Shoulder tightness and pain are all-too-common occurrences in our daily lives. There are many reasons why more and more people are experiencing shoulder pain. One of the most obvious reasons for the increase in shoulder pain cases deals with the typical posture assumed by the average student and worker in society.

Sitting slumped over at a desk for 8+ hours a day puts our shoulders in a very vulnerable position and often leads to pain, stiffness, and in some cases, rotator cuff tears.

In this article, we will explore the topic of shoulder pain and stiffness and demonstrate how chiropractic care offers the perfect solution to this debilitating issue.

 

Sitting and Shoulder Pain

Take a moment and reflect on your typical posture throughout the day. Alternatively, if you’re reading this article on your computer right now, think about the posture you’re currently assuming!

If you’re like most people, your head is protruding forward, your back is rounded, and your shoulders are slumped forward.

When a person sits in this position for a few minutes or even a few hours, it’s unlikely to cause any serious problems. But for school-aged children and the average worker, who maintain this posture every day for at least 8 hours for years on end, shoulder stiffness is likely to develop.

Essentially, poor seated posture puts pressure on some of the tendons and other structures within the shoulder. At the same time, certain ligaments, tendons, and muscles become stretched and weak within the back, chest, and shoulders. Then, when we attempt to use our shoulders for tasks around the house, sports, or even just everyday activities, we compensate for our lack of range of motion which can cause problems all throughout the body.

 

Overhead Sports and Shoulder Pain

If you picture most sports, you can see that many of them require repetitive overhead motion. Tennis, volleyball, baseball, swimming, and tons of other sports rely heavily on the shoulders.

For many kids who play sports casually, their bodies are easily able to deal with the demands of the sport and their shoulders can handle the stress of a few practices a week and games.

For better or worse, however, sports (at every age) have become much more competitive and athletes have become much more specialized. This puts tremendous strain on the shoulder joint, often leading to life-long problems and stiffness in these athletes.

 

Chiropractic Care and Stiff Shoulders

So, how do you unlock a tight shoulder? There are many different options. But perhaps the most effective, safest, and cost-efficient option is through the use of chiropractic care. 

Chiropractors use targeted manipulations to unlock the spine and the joints of the body. This enables patients to experience increased flexibility, decreased shoulder pain, and improved performance in sports or everyday tasks. Furthermore, these joint manipulations can improve blood flow and nerve conduction, allowing you to improve your posture and the function of any joint that may be giving you difficulty.

Best of all, chiropractic care is widely available and offers an affordable solution to any patient in need. However, you should ensure that you work with chiropractors who are top of the line and able to take you from where you are to where you want to be. Perhaps the best example of cream of the crop chiropractors can be found at Keystone Chiropractic!

At Keystone Chiropractic, we are home to the best chiropractors in Plano, TX. Our professional team can diagnose and treat a variety of shoulder-related issues. With just a few treatments, we can relieve shoulder stiffness and enable you to return to a pain-free life. If you’d like to set up a chiropractic session with the team at Keystone chiropractic, book your appointment today!