Interconnected: Shoulder Pain
The phrase “it is all connected” is something I hear patients mention when we begin talking about their physical ailment. We often discuss how regions far from the site of injury can contribute to their problem. However, a lot of times that phrase is not truly considered, it is mentioned more in passing instead of taken seriously. If we stop to really think about it, how could it not be the case, that every aspect of your body is interconnected?
Pain in the shoulder is a common problem, nearly all of us have dealt with it at some point or another. The thing we need to appreciate is that the shoulder pain is an outcome. It is the response of your body to some amount of pressure that is beyond its capacity to manage. The pain is a report back to the higher control centers as a warning signal to avoid long term tissue damage.
The outcome is rarely the problem, the cause of the problem is a complex string of events that have put a particular tissue in a vulnerable position. If that vulnerability is loaded in some way, shape or form, the tissue may be pushed beyond its limits and pain results. The tricky, and interesting part for me, is to track down the sequence of events and intervene in a way that allows the system to reorganize and more effectively deal with the forces being placed on the body.
The way your foot strikes the ground impacts your shoulder. The position of your hips alters forces experienced at your shoulder. The velocity of your spinal movements changes the amount of time your shoulder has to deal with incoming physical demands. The stress of your morning commute steals some amount of energy that could have been used to deal with forces placed on your shoulder. It is all connected, it must be, otherwise the system fails in all circumstances.
As a physical therapist, my wheelhouse resides in the mechanics required for motion. The number of contributing factors to a patient’s issue can be many. Keeping this in mind allows us to make better decisions together, and with enough time, solve the problem.
Austin Ulrich, Physical Therapist
