Shoulder pain and frozen shoulder treatment in Hilversum

We use our shoulders all day: reaching into a cupboard, pushing a door, putting on a shirt. A painful shoulder limits everything, and it rarely gets better by waiting. Our chiropractors and physiotherapists find the cause, whether it is in the shoulder itself, the shoulder blade, the neck or the upper back, and treat it.
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Why shoulders hurt

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body and therefore the least stable: a large ball in a small socket, held in place by the capsule, ligaments and the four rotator cuff muscles. Overload is the most common cause of pain: repetitive overhead work, hours hunched at a laptop, a new sport or a heavy weekend in the garden irritate the tendons and the bursa, the fluid cushion under the tip of the shoulder. Pain then appears when lifting the arm sideways, reaching behind the back and lying on that side at night.

Just as often the problem is not in the shoulder joint alone. A stiff upper back and a shoulder blade that does not glide properly force the ball to move wrongly in the socket, and a pinched nerve in the neck can radiate into the shoulder and arm, see neck pain. That is why we examine the whole chain: neck, upper back, ribs, shoulder blade and shoulder. Treating only the painful spot is why many shoulder complaints keep coming back.

Frozen shoulder

A frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is an inflammation and shrinking of the joint capsule. It starts with increasing pain, often without a clear cause, and progresses to a shoulder that hardly moves at all, even when someone else moves it for you. It affects mostly people between forty and sixty, women more than men, and people with diabetes or thyroid problems more often. Left alone it runs its course in one to three years.

Treatment cannot skip the phases, but it can shorten them and keep you functioning: pain control and gentle mobilisation in the painful phase, progressive mobilisation and strength in the stiff phase, and a programme to regain the last degrees of movement in the thawing phase. Our physiotherapists and chiropractors do this together.

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Shoulder complaints we treat

Impingement and bursitis

Patient with shoulder pain being examined at MoveWell Hilversum

Pain when lifting the arm between roughly 60 and 120 degrees, at night on the affected side and when reaching behind. The tendons and bursa are pinched under the tip of the shoulder. Treated by restoring the movement of the shoulder blade and upper back, calming the tendon and strengthening the rotator cuff.

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Rotator cuff and tendon problems

Chiropractic treatment of the shoulder and upper back

Tendinopathy, calcification in the tendon (calcific tendinitis) and partial tears, common in sport and overhead work and after fifty. Diagnostic ultrasound shows the tendon; shockwave therapy, exercise therapy and manual treatment are the core of the plan. Severe tears are referred.

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Shoulder pain from neck or upper back

Shoulder rehabilitation exercises with the physiotherapist

Pain in the shoulder and shoulder blade region that comes from a locked segment in the neck or upper back, or from a nerve that is irritated. Typical for desk workers. Chiropractic treatment of the neck and thoracic spine resolves it; see also RSI and desk complaints.

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More information in English

Everything MoveWell offers in English, from complaints to rates: start at MoveWell in English.

Do not wait with a shoulder

Shoulders that hurt for more than two weeks tend to stiffen, and a stiff shoulder takes far longer to recover than a painful one. Early examination lets us tell you what it is, whether you need an ultrasound or a specialist, and what you can safely keep doing. Most shoulder complaints improve clearly within six weeks of the right treatment.

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How we treat shoulder pain

Examination with ultrasound

Examination of the shoulder, neck and ribs for thoracic outlet and nerve problems

Movement tests of the shoulder, shoulder blade, neck and upper back, strength of the rotator cuff, nerve tests of the arm, and if useful a diagnostic ultrasound of the tendons and bursa in the same visit. You get a diagnosis and a plan the same day.

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Hands on treatment

Physiotherapist treating the shoulder on the table

Mobilisation of the shoulder, shoulder blade, ribs and upper back by the chiropractor or manual therapist; muscle techniques, dry needling and shockwave for the tendons by the physiotherapist.

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Strength and control

Strength training for the rotator cuff in the MoveWell fitness centre

A progressive programme for the rotator cuff and shoulder blade muscles, exercises for home and, for sport and work, a return to load programme in our medical fitness centre.

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Why MoveWell for shoulder pain

Ultrasound and shockwave in house

Chiropractor explaining the shoulder diagnosis to a patient

Diagnostic ultrasound, focused shockwave and dry needling in the same building as the chiropractor: no waiting for a scan elsewhere.

Direct access, fast

MoveWell practice in Medisch Centrum Dudokpark

No referral needed, acute complaints usually within 24 hours, open until 21:00 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Dutch supplementary insurance reimburses chiropractic, no deductible.

Whole chain approach

Shoulder blade control training

Neck, upper back, shoulder blade and shoulder examined and treated together, which is why our shoulder patients stay better.

Our specialists for shoulder pain

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Frequently asked questions about shoulder pain

Should I see a chiropractor or a physiotherapist for shoulder pain?

Both work on shoulders at MoveWell, and after the examination we decide together. If the neck, upper back or shoulder blade mechanics are the cause, the chiropractor leads; for tendon problems, frozen shoulder and rehabilitation the physiotherapist leads. Often it is a combination.

How long does a frozen shoulder take to heal?

Untreated one to three years. With treatment the painful phase is shorter and you keep more function throughout; most patients regain a workable shoulder within months and full movement within a year. Diabetes and thyroid conditions slow it down.

Do I need an MRI for shoulder pain?

Rarely. Most shoulder problems are diagnosed by examination and, where needed, our in house ultrasound, which shows tendons, bursa and calcification well. MRI is reserved for suspected larger tears or when treatment stalls.

Can I keep sporting with shoulder pain?

Usually yes, with adjustments. We tell you which movements to avoid for now and which to keep. Complete rest makes a shoulder stiffer; guided loading makes it stronger.

What is shockwave therapy?

High energy sound waves applied to a tendon to stimulate repair and to break down calcification. It is used for calcific tendinitis, chronic tendinopathy and some bursitis cases, usually three to five sessions, combined with exercises.

Is shoulder treatment reimbursed?

Chiropractic and physiotherapy are reimbursed from Dutch supplementary insurance without deductible. Ultrasound and shockwave are small surcharges, see our rates page. International insurers usually reimburse both.

Why does my shoulder hurt at night?

Lying on the shoulder compresses the irritated tendons and bursa, and at night there is nothing to distract you from the pain. Night pain is typical for impingement, bursitis and frozen shoulder. It improves as the inflammation settles; we advise on sleeping positions in the meantime.

Can shoulder pain come from the heart or lungs?

Rarely, and then with other signs such as chest pressure, shortness of breath or pain unrelated to movement. Our examination distinguishes mechanical shoulder pain from referred pain, and we send you to a doctor without delay if anything suggests it.

Shoulder pain treatment for Hilversum and the Gooi region

MoveWell, Hoge Naarderweg 3E, Hilversum, in Medisch Centrum Dudokpark. Patients from Bussum, Laren, Naarden, Huizen, Loosdrecht, Baarn, Weesp and Almere, 25 minutes by train from Amsterdam and Utrecht. Move well, feel better!

Would you like to use your shoulder freely again?

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Call 035 760 06 45