Lots of patients seek help from osteopaths for upper limb pain. This can be due to local problems such as frozen shoulder, shoulder and elbow pain, or tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis). Pain can also radiate from the neck into the arm, or from the hand up the arm to the shoulder, and may result in associated symptoms such as pins and needles (tingling), numbness or weakness.

It is your osteopath’s job to determine where the pain is really coming from, and why it has occurred. By understanding how and when the pain started, and how it is behaving, an osteopath can determine the possible cause of pain and how the injury may have happened. The most common causes of upper limb pain are overuse strains which tend to be associated with work or sports injuries.

An osteopath will use a wide range of different techniques to help reduce any tissue tension, and joint restrictions, such as massage, joint mobilisation, strengthening and stretching techniques. In addition, they may offer advice such as changing your work environment or adjusting your sports technique as well as giving you homework such as exercises to help you stretch or strengthen your upper limb between appointments.