The human shoulder is a marvel of natural engineering. The shoulder joint is the most moveable joint in the body and can swing in an unmatched arc to help us lift, throw, push pull, and reach. That the billiard ball-size humeral head (the ball at the top of the arm bone) can maintain its location inside the shoulder socket, which is the size of a teaspoon, is absolutely remarkable! Unfortunately, the more movable and important a joint is, it seems the more frequently it receives injury. And with shoulder involvement, injury can really be a burden. Shoulder injuries can occur from overuse, (too much stress on supporting tissues through work, sports, and gardening), or for no known reason at all. Most of the time, the important thing is not how you got the pain, but how to be rid of it.

According to Frederick Matson, III, MD, chair of the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Washington, Seattle, how the joints are formed depends on the requirements for movement in that part of the body. The health and ability of specific parts of the body's musculoskeletal system depends on effective interaction between normal joints and the neuromuscular units that drive them. This means, that though the joint itself might be very normal, injury and disability may still occur. In fact, if there isn't the correct communication from the brain, through the nerves to the muscles, which create the support for the shoulder, the joint will not have healthy function.

The brain controls and sends information through the nerve pathways to all parts of the body. The muscles, ligaments, blood supply, and movement requirements of the shoulder, arm, and hand are controlled by the brain. A series of nerves exit from the brain and extend through spaces between the protective spinal bones of the lower neck and upper back. These nerves, called the brachial plexus, run through the shoulders, down the arms, and through the fingers. Frequently, shoulder and arm problems are the direct result of damage to the nerves that direct them.

Chiropractic is the profession that dedicates itself to the detection and correction of the spinal misalignments, which cause nerve interference. Chiropractors provide non-surgical, safe, effective treatment for shoulder and arm problems created by these misalignments.