Upper Back & Shoulder Pain Relief | Rolla, MO Chiropractor

Upper Back and Shoulder Pain: Why They Hurt Together and How Chiropractic Care Can Help

By Dr. David J. Moreland, DC, CCSP, CME Moreland Chiropractic Clinic | Rolla, Missouri

Ever wake up with a nagging ache between your shoulder blades? Or notice that reaching overhead, turning your head, or simply sitting at your desk makes your upper back and shoulders hurt?

You're certainly not alone.

Upper back and shoulder pain are common complaints that can interfere with everything from working and sleeping to golfing, gardening, and enjoying everyday activities.

But here's something many people don't realize: The place where you feel pain isn't always the place where the problem begins.

Sometimes shoulder pain starts in the shoulder itself. Other times, the neck, upper back, surrounding muscles, or nerves may be contributing to the discomfort.

At Moreland Chiropractic Clinic in Rolla, Missouri, we believe that understanding why something hurts is the first step toward helping it feel better.

And as I like to remind patients, your body is pretty good at telling you when something isn't right. The trick is learning to listen before it starts shouting.

Understanding the Connection Between Your Upper Back and Shoulders

Your upper back, medically known as the thoracic spine, consists of 12 vertebrae that connect with your ribs and help support your neck, shoulders, and upper body.

Your shoulder is a remarkably mobile joint. It relies on coordinated movement between the upper arm, shoulder blade (scapula), collarbone, and surrounding muscles.

These structures don't work independently. They function as a team.

When your upper back becomes stiff, your shoulder blade may not move as efficiently. When your shoulder muscles become weak or irritated, nearby muscles in your neck and upper back may compensate.

This relationship helps explain why some patients experience:

Pain between the shoulder blades

Burning or aching across the upper back

Tightness in the trapezius muscles

Shoulder discomfort when lifting an arm

Pain that travels from the neck toward the shoulder

Stiffness after sitting or driving

Discomfort when sleeping on one side

Treating the painful area without evaluating the surrounding structures may mean overlooking an important contributor to the problem.

Five Common Causes of Upper Back and Shoulder Pain

1. Poor Posture and Prolonged Sitting

Modern life places considerable demands on our upper backs.

Computers, smartphones, long commutes, and hours spent sitting can encourage a forward-head and rounded-shoulder position.

Over time, sustained positions may contribute to muscle fatigue, stiffness, and discomfort.

The solution isn't necessarily to sit perfectly straight every minute of the day. In fact, movement and regularly changing positions are often more helpful than trying to maintain one supposedly perfect posture.

2. Thoracic Spine Stiffness

The thoracic spine is designed to provide stability while allowing controlled rotation and extension.

When mobility becomes restricted, nearby joints and muscles may compensate.

Some patients notice discomfort when twisting, reaching, or taking certain positions.

For appropriately selected patients, chiropractic mobilization or manipulation may help improve spinal mobility and reduce musculoskeletal discomfort.

3. Rotator Cuff Irritation and Shoulder Injuries

The rotator cuff consists of four muscles and their tendons that help stabilize and move the shoulder.

Rotator cuff tendinopathy, inflammation-related irritation, and tears can produce pain during overhead activity, lifting, or sleeping.

Symptoms may include:

Pain along the outside of the shoulder

Difficulty reaching behind the back

Weakness when lifting the arm

Nighttime shoulder discomfort

Pain during repetitive activities

These problems require an appropriate diagnosis. Some respond well to conservative care and rehabilitation, while significant tears or progressive weakness may require orthopedic evaluation.

4. Muscle Strain and Overuse

Whether you're swinging a golf club, lifting weights, working overhead, or spending the weekend doing yardwork, repetitive activity can overload muscles.

The trapezius, rhomboids, levator scapulae, and surrounding muscles are frequently involved.

These muscles can become tender and painful, particularly when their workload exceeds what they're accustomed to handling.

Fortunately, many uncomplicated muscular conditions respond to activity modification, appropriate movement, and conservative treatment.

5. Neck Problems That Refer Pain Into the Shoulder

Sometimes the shoulder isn't the primary problem at all.

Cervical disc disorders, degenerative changes, irritated joints, and nerve-root compression can produce pain around the shoulder blade or down the arm.

When nerve involvement is present, patients may experience tingling, numbness, or weakness.

This is one reason a thorough examination matters. Treating a suspected shoulder injury when the symptoms originate in the cervical spine may delay appropriate care.

How Chiropractic Care May Help Upper Back and Shoulder Pain

Chiropractic care offers a conservative, non-surgical approach to many mechanical problems involving the spine and surrounding musculoskeletal structures.

At Moreland Chiropractic Clinic, our goal isn't simply to address where you hurt. It's to identify the contributing factors and develop an appropriate treatment plan.

1. Improving Joint Mobility

Chiropractic adjustments and gentle joint mobilization can help address certain restrictions in spinal movement.

When upper back stiffness contributes to discomfort, restoring comfortable movement may reduce pain and improve function.

The type of treatment depends on the patient's examination findings, health history, and individual needs.

2. Reducing Muscular Tension

Painful joints and overworked muscles often influence one another.

By combining appropriate manual treatment with stretching, mobility exercises, and other conservative measures, we may help reduce muscle guarding and improve comfortable movement.

3. Supporting Better Shoulder Mechanics

Your shoulder blade and upper back work together whenever you reach, lift, push, or pull.

For patients with certain shoulder conditions, improving thoracic mobility and addressing associated neck or upper back dysfunction may be useful alongside targeted shoulder rehabilitation.

Importantly, chiropractic adjustments are not a substitute for treating a torn tendon or rehabilitating a weakened rotator cuff.

4. Encouraging Strength and Long-Term Function

Pain relief is important, but restoring function matters just as much.

A good treatment plan may include exercises designed to improve:

Shoulder blade control

Rotator cuff strength

Thoracic mobility

Upper back endurance

Flexibility and movement confidence

The goal is to help patients return to activities they enjoy with less discomfort and better physical capacity.

5. Providing a Drug-Free Conservative Option

Many patients prefer to explore conservative treatment before considering medications, injections, or surgery.

For suitable musculoskeletal conditions, chiropractic care may be part of that approach.

However, not every shoulder problem is best treated with spinal manipulation. Appropriate diagnosis, rehabilitation, and referral when necessary remain essential.

What Does the Research Say About Chiropractic Care?

Clinical research supports several conservative approaches to neck-related and shoulder pain.

A clinical practice guideline published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found support for multimodal treatment involving manual therapy, exercise, and patient education for certain neck-related disorders.

A separate evidence-based guideline addressing soft-tissue shoulder pain identified joint mobilization, range-of-motion exercises, and selected spinal manual therapies among treatment options for appropriately evaluated patients.

More recent rotator cuff rehabilitation guidelines also recognize that manual therapy may provide short-term improvements in pain and disability, particularly when combined with exercise.

The important message is that chiropractic care is often most useful as part of a comprehensive treatment plan rather than as a stand-alone solution for every type of shoulder pain.

At our clinic, we believe good healthcare means combining clinical experience with the best available evidence.

When Should You Be Concerned About Upper Back or Shoulder Pain?

Although many cases involve muscles, joints, or tendons, some symptoms deserve additional medical evaluation.

Seek prompt medical attention for significant pain following trauma, new or progressive arm weakness, persistent numbness, fever, or an inability to move the shoulder.

Sudden upper back or shoulder pain accompanied by chest pressure, shortness of breath, sweating, faintness, or other possible cardiac symptoms requires emergency evaluation.

Not every pain between the shoulder blades is a chiropractic problem.

Knowing when to treat and when to refer is an important part of responsible patient care.

Four Simple Things You Can Do to Help Your Upper Back and Shoulders

1. Move more frequently. If you spend hours at a computer or behind the wheel, take regular breaks to stand, walk, and gently move your shoulders.

2. Strengthen your upper back. Appropriately selected rowing movements, shoulder blade exercises, and resistance training may help improve muscular endurance and shoulder function.

3. Keep your shoulders moving. Gentle, comfortable range-of-motion exercises can help prevent unnecessary stiffness. Avoid forcing movements that produce sharp pain.

4. Don't ignore persistent symptoms. Pain that continues, repeatedly returns, or interferes with sleep and daily activities deserves an examination.

Remember, the goal isn't to avoid every movement that causes discomfort forever. It's to identify which movements are safe, rebuild strength, and gradually restore confidence.

Why Choose Moreland Chiropractic Clinic in Rolla, Missouri?

When you're experiencing upper back or shoulder pain, you deserve more than a quick guess about what's wrong.

Dr. David J. Moreland has more than 30 years of chiropractic experience helping patients with musculoskeletal pain and movement-related conditions.

As a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP), Dr. Moreland brings additional training in evaluating sports-related and musculoskeletal injuries.

At Moreland Chiropractic Clinic, we emphasize:

Thorough evaluation of upper back, neck, and shoulder complaints

Gentle, individualized chiropractic treatment when appropriate

Conservative, non-surgical approaches

Practical home exercises and patient education

Collaboration with primary care physicians and orthopedic specialists when necessary

Helping patients return to work, recreation, and everyday activities

Whether your discomfort began after a weekend of golf, a long day at work, or seemingly out of nowhere, we want to help you understand what's happening and what your treatment options may be.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a chiropractor help with pain between my shoulder blades?

Yes, chiropractic care may help certain types of mechanical pain between the shoulder blades, particularly when spinal stiffness or musculoskeletal dysfunction contributes to symptoms. A proper examination is important to identify the cause.

Can upper back problems cause shoulder pain?

Yes. The cervical and thoracic spine, shoulder blade, and surrounding muscles function together. Pain may originate in the neck or upper back and be felt near the shoulder. However, shoulder pain can also arise from the shoulder joint or tendons themselves.

Is chiropractic care helpful for rotator cuff pain?

It may help address associated neck or upper back stiffness and discomfort, but rotator cuff rehabilitation generally requires targeted exercises. Significant tears may require orthopedic assessment.

How many chiropractic visits will I need?

That depends on the diagnosis, symptom severity, duration, and response to treatment. We believe in monitoring progress and adjusting treatment plans according to the patient's needs.

Should I use heat or ice for upper back pain?

Either may provide temporary symptom relief. Heat often feels helpful for muscular stiffness, while cold may be more comfortable following an acute strain. Neither replaces appropriate evaluation when symptoms are persistent or concerning.

Don't Let Upper Back or Shoulder Pain Keep You on the Sidelines

There's a saying I like: You don't have to be great to get started, but you do have to get started to make progress.

That applies to your health, too.

Sometimes getting better begins with something as simple as understanding why you're hurting and having a plan to address it.

If you're dealing with upper back stiffness, shoulder discomfort, or recurring pain between your shoulder blades, we'd be happy to help determine whether chiropractic care is appropriate for you.

Moreland Chiropractic Clinic Rolla, Missouri Dr. David J. Moreland, DC, CCSP, CME

Monday–Friday | 8:00 AM–6:00 PM Same-day appointments may be available.

Visit www.dr-david.com to learn more.

Moreland Chiropractic Clinic — Feel Better, Live Better.

Call Today: 573-364-8086

Scientific References

Bussières AE, et al. (2016). The Treatment of Neck Pain–Associated Disorders and Whiplash-Associated Disorders: A Clinical Practice Guideline. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27836071/

Yu H, et al. (2021). Noninvasive Management of Soft Tissue Disorders of the Shoulder: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the OPTIMa Collaboration. European Journal of Pain. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.1788

Hawk C, et al. (2020). Best Practices for Chiropractic Management of Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32749874/

Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy Diagnosis, Nonsurgical Medical Care, and Rehabilitation: A Clinical Practice Guideline. (2025). Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2025.13182

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. (2025). Management of Rotator Cuff Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline. https://www.guidelinecentral.com/guideline/9802/