Shoulder pain is very common, accountable for about 15% of all musculoskeletal pain. Shoulder pain is defined as chronic when it has been present for longer than six months.

Common conditions that can result in chronic shoulder pain include rotator cuff and biceps disorders, including tendinopathy, partial tears, and complete rupture, bursitis, frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), torn labial cartilage, recurrent shoulder dislocation and shoulder arthritis.

Excessive forces generated by your shoulder muscles are the most significant underlying cause of most shoulder conditions.

With its twenty-four muscles covering a huge area of your body, your shoulder is a relatively massive structure.

Viewed from behind your shoulder muscles extend directly down into your elbow, up into your skull, down your entire neck, mid-back, ribs, lower back and all the way to your pelvis. Viewed from your side, they cover the entire side of your chest. And at the front they cover the bulk of your chest.

Your shoulder muscles can act singly in isolation with simple actions or together in more complex actions involving many of your other joints. So,  although shoulder pain can be caused by problems isolated to your shoulder itself they are more often associated with areas somewhat remote from your shoulder.

Osteopathic treatment can relieve acute and chronic shoulder pain, stiffness and other symptoms and restore function by improving range of motion, reducing fibrosis and adhesions, remodelling tissue architecture, stimulating tissue regeneration, improving blood supply and nerve activity.

Long term resolution can be achieved by identifying and managing underlying causative factors.

Shoulder conditions that respond well to osteopathic treatment include: