Frozen Shoulder

Shoulders are ball-and-sockets joints consisting of three bones—the humerus (upper arm), scapula (shoulder blade) and clavicle (collar bone). The head of the humerus fits into a shallow socket in the shoulder blade and is surrounded and supported by strong connective tissues that make up the shoulder capsule. Frozen shoulder occurs when the shoulder capsule thickens and becomes tight, causing pain and stiffness. This condition develops in three stages:

•  Freezing. Lasting between six weeks to nine months, this first stage involves a gradual increase in pain and stiffness. As the pain increases over time, your shoulder will become difficult to move.
• Frozen. Pain may actually decrease during this stage, but the stiffness will remain for four to six months.
• Thawing. Shoulder motion will slowly improve along with return to normal strength and motion. A full thaw can take anywhere from six months to two years.

Receiving early treatment for frozen shoulder is the best way to prevent stiffness and to stop your condition from becoming more serious, and at Therapeutic Solutions LLC, we use conservative chiropractic treatments to reduce symptoms and restore function to the shoulder joint. By adjusting the spine and then the shoulder, we can alleviate your pain and increase your range of motion. Repeated treatment combined with at-home exercises has proven to be very effective. 

For more information visit our website at www.therapeutic-solutions-llc.com or feel free to contact Dr. Christopher Brill & staff at 757-873-4131.

Rotator Cuff Tears

One of the most common injuries to occur in the shoulder is a tear in the rotator cuff, which is a group of four muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder to provide movement and stability. The tendons from these muscles attach to the top of the humerus, and this is where most tears occur, although muscles are sometimes involved.  Rotator cuff tears can be caused by direct blows to the shoulder, by falling on the arm while it is outstretched and by having your arm yanked. Impingement (tendinitis), where the rotator cuff tendons rub against the shoulder blade, can also lead the rotator cuff to become inflamed, fray and weaken.

People most susceptible to these injuries include swimmers, tennis players, baseball players and other participants in activities that involve a lot of arm movement overhead. Your risk for injury is also higher if you are over the age of 40 since muscles and tendons lose elasticity as you age.

If you have torn your rotator cuff, we can help you heal without the need for steroid injections or surgery. Here at Therapeutic Solutions LLC in Newport News, VA, we use therapies, such as electrical muscle stimulation and inferential electro-therapy, to promote healing and reduce pain and inflammation. Additionally, chiropractic adjustments and targeted exercises can be used to restore mobility and range of movement. In about six to eight weeks, you will notice a significant improvement.

For more information visit our website at www.therapeutic-solutions-llc.com or feel free to contact Dr. Brill and staff at 757-873-4131.