In the case of Chad S., treatment for acute shoulder pain at my metro-west Boston clinic  included Neuromuscular Therapy for the shoulder and arm muscles plus Active Isolated Stretching. He was instructed to ice and was given stretches to do at home and at work.

Keeping impingement of the supraspinatus tendon and Trigger Point referred pain in mind, all four of the rotator cuff muscles were treated with Neuromuscular Therapy techniques. Trigger Points and painful tissue were found there as expected.  The latissimus dorsi that connects the upper arm to the back, the entire upper extremity and all cervical muscles were also treated because, in the muscle world, everyone helps when one of your buddies is hurt.

Chad returned less than a week later reporting that the pain would come and go, and sometimes was so bad that it kept him awake. The second treatment focussed on the infraspinatus (the rotator cuff muscle on the back of the shoulder blade). It had a viscious trigger point! The supraspinatus on top of the shoulder was resistant but did finally release. All other muscles from the first treatment were checked. The treatment ended with intense Active Isolated Stretching for the upper body and rotator cuff.

He left with no pain and hasn’t called since!