The chiropractors here in Belmar, NJ see patients come in with shoulder pain fairly often. Shoulder pain occurs in up to 70% of people at some point in their lives. The shoulder joint is a ball and socket joint and is the most mobile joint in the body. There are many muscular attachments to move the shoulder, therefore it’s very easy for muscle problems to develop. Pain in the shoulder can refer to the arm, to the front of the chest, into the back, or up into the neck. Acute shoulder problems usually last from a few days to a few weeks while chronic shoulder problems can last from a few weeks to many months. More than half of shoulder problems resolve in 8-12 weeks, but 40% become chronic for longer than a year’s duration.
Poor posture is a common cause of shoulder pain, as rounded forward shoulders increase stress on the shoulder joints. Other common causes include repetitive stress movements on the shoulder, osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint, and traumas – like accidents and falls.