Most of us have either experienced or heard someone complain about pinching pain in the shoulder. It’s one of the most common complaints we hear in clinic.
Often followed by a series of pressing queries…
Am I lifting too much weight?
Is my form wrong?
Should I stop lifting all together?
The Shoulder Complex (Simplified)
The Shoulder blade with the ribcage (scapulothoracic)
Shows how well and smooth the connection is between the shoulder blade and the back of the ribs
The shoulder blade with the collar bone (AC Joint)
Is the connection between the collarbone and the front of the shoulder blade
The ball and socket joint which connects the arm to the shoulder blade (Glenohumeral joint)
The Shoulder Blade Is Key
But How Do I Fix My Bloody Pinching?
This is where I get to have some fun playing detective. Need to figure out the ‘why’
Usually when people complain of pinching going overhead at the tip of the shoulder, they point straight to the top of the shoulder.
Why?
Whether its the rotator cuff, the bursa or the joint (or all of these structures) they are sensitive and can be prone to becoming hypersensitive with repetitive irritation and compression.
Why is that important? If you look at the mechanics of the shoulder, in simple terms
Glide – Slide – Rotate – Compress
Depending on what you need to do in life and how you need to position the shoulder - your Arm, shoulder blade, ribcage and collar bone need to position themselves, perfectly in synchrony. We take it for granted how smoothly things just seem in happen in life.
The shoulder blade needs to glide, the ball and socket needs to slide and rotate and the AC joint needs to compress at different times in order to reach up to the top of the pantry for example.
If it doesn’t work properly, it’ll be fine for a while. If it stays inefficient, it might start to feel sensitive eventually…
WHY is this important?
The “pinching” sensation is the effect and site of pain. This can be treated and you would feel better. But as the spinal neurologist Dr. Karel Lewit said –
“He who treats the site of pain is lost”
The pain will always return unless you treat the WHY?
The pinching pain could be from sensitised structures anywhere in the shoulder.
First thing we need to uncover is what is driving your sensitivity. Is it load? technique when lifting? Lack of recovery? Stress?
A systematic approach to diagnose the origin of shoulder pain
Behaviour or trauma. If the problem gradually came on with no apparent cause, then it might have something to do with how you move. If the problem came from some sort of traumatic event such as falling on an outstretched arm - then it’s likely to be localised.
Sometimes, you can have an old site of injury - say at the wrist - and then behave in a compensatory way which, long term, overloaded the shoulder… So it can be a mix of both behaviour and trauma.
But…How do I fix my shoulder pinching?
Well….
I’m not going to promise you that this will solve it but you can get access to our FREE SHOULDER PROGRAM. This has helped hundreds get stronger.
My best advice
Get your niggly shoulder that:
has been pinching for the last 3 months
you thought would get better with time - and hasn’t…
Checked by one of our professional Chirorpractors and Physiotherapists. Make sure they explain what is wrong with YOUR shoulder and how to solve the issue.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask them WHY?