Arm and Shoulder Pain

Chiropractic Solutions for Shoulder, Elbow, and Wrist Conditions

Arm Pain

Arm pain can have multiple causes. Often, it results from overuse injuries in the shoulder, elbow, or wrist. However, radiating nerve pain from the neck can also lead to symptoms in the arm — in such cases, the root cause often lies in the cervical spine (see: neck pain).

Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the human body, but this mobility makes it prone to injury. Numerous muscles, tendons, and ligaments work closely together to keep the shoulder joint stable and functional. This complexity also makes the shoulder vulnerable to imbalances and overuse injuries.

Several tendons run beneath the acromion (shoulder roof), passing over a fluid-filled sac called the bursa. Irritation or inflammation of these structures — such as tendinitis or bursitis — can cause pain that radiates through the shoulder, upper arm, neck, or upper back.

Typical symptoms include:

  • Sharp or aching pain during movement

  • Discomfort when reaching overhead or behind the back

  • Pain when lying on the affected shoulder

  • Difficulty putting on a jacket or lifting objects

Shoulder issues often worsen quickly if left untreated. Early assessment and chiropractic care can prevent long-term damage and help restore function efficiently.

Elbow Pain

The most common elbow conditions are tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis).

  • Tennis elbow causes pain on the outer part of the elbow

  • Golfer’s elbow affects the inner part

Both conditions result from overuse or repetitive movements, such as playing sports (tennis, golf) or daily activities like typing, gripping, drilling, or ironing. Repetitive strain causes small tears at the tendon insertion points, which lead to inflammation and scar tissue formation over time.

Less commonly, elbow pain may also stem from irritation where the biceps or triceps tendons insert at the front or back of the elbow.

Wrist Pain

Wrist pain can develop from trauma, chronic overuse, or degeneration of the wrist or thumb joints. One of the most frequent conditions is carpal tunnel syndrome, caused by compression of the median nerve as it passes through the wrist tunnel.

Your chiropractor will examine the function of the wrist and hand, identify the root cause of the pain, and determine whether conservative treatment is appropriate or if referral is necessary.

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Chiropractic Assessment

At Chiropractie Aalst-Waalre, we take a functional, whole-body approach to musculoskeletal complaints. During your consultation, we investigate not just the irritated muscle or tendon, but the entire kinetic chain — including the neck, shoulder, elbow, and wrist.

For example, a tendon irritation may be the result of local overuse, but could also be caused by dysfunctional movement patterns further up the chain. If one joint isn’t moving properly, surrounding muscles must compensate, often leading to overload and pain.

We aim to:

  1. Restore proper joint movement

  2. Allow muscles and tendons to recover

  3. Strengthen the affected region with tailored exercises

  4. Prevent recurrence by addressing the root cause

Common conditions we treat include:

  • Shoulder impingement or bursitis

  • Tendinitis and overuse injuries

  • Tennis and golfer’s elbow

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome

  • Radiating arm pain from the neck

  • Biceps/triceps tendon issues

  • General overuse symptoms in the upper limb

Ready to regain pain-free movement? We’re here to help.

Treatment

If necessary, part of the treatment plan will be combined with another discipline that has expertise in a different area, such as stabilizing exercises.

Based on the examination, we will determine what the treatment plan for your complaints will look like. It may be necessary to first improve the mobility of the back, neck, shoulder, elbow and/or wrist using chiropractic techniques before the back is ready to be strengthened.