Arthritic Shoulder Management

When it comes to the wide range of motion of the upper arm, the ball and the socket glenohumeral joint plays the most important role. This mobility comes at the cost of stability and this makes the shoulder a common source of injury!

 

These injuries can occur very suddenly or build up over time which affects the motion of the joint, this is called microtrauma. Microtrauma can be associated with overuse, excessive vibrations, or heavy lifting. This combination of inflammation and improper joint mobility from these injuries can place added stress on your hyaline cartilage that covers the bones and reduces frictions during movement.  This leads to Osteoarthritis. About 30% of adults over the age of 60 will develop this in the glenohumeral joint.

 

Doctors of Chiropractic will typically approach glenohumeral joint pain with various therapies, soft tissue work, and specific exercise instruction. If the condition is more advanced it will most likely take awhile longer for the patient to experience improvements with pain and disability relief.

 

If the cartilage is mostly worn away and there is bone to bone contact, the patient can be referred to a surgeon for glenohumeral joint arthroplasty. Patients will have a few different options depending on their condition. This could include anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. One study found that it can take up to 15 weeks to fully heal.

 

The best things to do to avoid osteoarthritis in general is to eat anti-inflammatory foods, get regular exercise, consider ways to reduce stress on the shoulders such as frequent breaks in a hard work environment. If you are experiencing pain, be sure to contact your local chiropractor as they can come up with efficient ways to get you on a road to recovery.

 

Content Courtesy of Chiro-Trust.org. All Rights Reserved.

 

Dr. Augustine of Augustine Chiropractic in Wesley Chapel, FL, has over 31 years of experience treating patients for their neck pain and their ailments through personalized chiropractic care treatments. The locally owned and operated chiropractic clinic offers both in-office treatments and at-home therapy regiments to help people recover and heal from auto injuries and other conditions. The staff is dedicated to providing alternative and therapeutic solutions for better overall health. Give them a call today at (813) 994-6008 to schedule and appointment and visit their website to learn more about their services!