Shoulder & Arm Pain

Common Shoulder & Arm Conditions treated at KNÓSIS include:

Shoulder And Upper Extremity Pain

The shoulder joint has a great range of motion, allowing our hands to move with exceptional freedom and precision. However, this mobility comes at a cost: the shoulder relies on soft tissues like the labrum, joint capsule, muscles, tendons, and ligaments for stability, rather than a secure bone-to-bone connection. This trade-off makes it more susceptible to injury. At KNOSIS, we take a holistic approach to shoulder health. We assess how postural alignment, neck and spine function, rib positioning, and shoulder and arm stability work together. This integrated analysis is key to optimizing strength, restoring balance, and ensuring pain-free, functional movement. 

Rotator Cuff Related Injuries

The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles—supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis—that create a dynamic “cuff” supporting the shoulder joint. These muscles stabilize and guide the humerus in relation to the scapula, enabling smooth rotational movements. Due to the absence of a rigid bony structure in the shoulder joint, these muscles are highly susceptible to injury. Dysfunction often arises from poor movement mechanics, inefficient recruitment patterns, or chronic overload. At KNOSIS, our strategy begins with an in-depth assessment to uncover the root cause, addressing not only the physical but also the psychosocial and habitual factors that perpetuate dysfunction. We examine how postural habits, compensatory movements, and imbalances across the kinetic chain influence the shoulder. Understanding the interplay between strength, mobility, and stability to develop targeted treatment strategies specific to each individual. 

Shoulder Tendinopathy / Tendonitis

Shoulder tendonitis occurs when inflammation affects the tendons of the rotator cuff or biceps, leading to dull, aching pain at the top of the shoulder or radiating down the arm, often making it difficult to lift or use the arm. Common causes include repetitive overhead activities in sports, construction work, or trauma such as falls. At KNOSIS, we understand that poor posture and technique often contribute to these injuries. Our holistic approach focuses on enhancing full-body mechanics and optimizing movement patterns to restore function and prevent re-injury. 

Subacromial Bursitis

Bursae are small, fluid-filled sacs found throughout the body that act as cushions, reducing friction and enabling smooth movement between tissues. The subacromial bursa, located in the shoulder, sits between the upper arm bone (humerus) and the tendon of the supraspinatus, a crucial rotator cuff muscle. This bursa supports pain-free motion as the tendon stabilizes the arm and lifts it to the side. Subacromial bursitis occurs when this bursa becomes "pinched," often from repetitive overhead movements like throwing or serving a tennis ball. The resulting overuse leads to inflammation, swelling, and pain, making even basic shoulder movements challenging. At KNOSIS, we go beyond symptom management. In addition to targeted exercises that optimize rotator cuff function, we emphasize the importance of postural alignment and stability rooted in the core, hips, and pelvis. This integrated approach ensures optimal healing, reduces strain on the shoulder, and helps prevent bursitis from recurring.  

AC Injury / Dislocation

The acromion, a bony projection from the shoulder blade, connects to the collarbone (clavicle) via ligaments to form the acromioclavicular (AC) joint.  The AC joint is vulnerable to injury, particularly from blunt impact, falling onto the side of the shoulder, or falling onto an outstretched arm. Injuries to the AC joint often result in pain and swelling at the top of the shoulder, which may radiate to the neck or arm. Pain typically intensifies with movement or pressure, such as sleeping on the affected side. At KNOSIS, we approach AC joint injuries with a comprehensive lens, addressing not just the joint itself but how surrounding structures—neck, shoulder, and arm—interact. By combining targeted therapy, postural alignment, and holistic body mechanics, we support optimal healing and restore pain-free function to the shoulder.  

Instability / Dislocation

The shoulder joint is an exceptionally mobile joint, allowing for great freedom of movement.  To achieve this mobility the shoulder relies on soft tissues like the labrum, joint capsule, muscles, tendons, and ligaments for stability, rather than a secure bone-to-bone connection. This makes the shoulder more prone to injuries such as subluxation (partial displacement) or dislocation (complete displacement) of the arm bone (humerus) from the shallow socket of the shoulder blade (glenoid). These injuries can result from trauma or impact, damaging the stabilizing soft tissues. For individuals with naturally loose ligaments, such injuries can even happen during normal movements. At KNOSIS, we take an integrated approach to shoulder care, whether for post-surgical rehabilitation or ongoing stability. We focus on improving posture, rib and spine mobility, and shoulder blade, pelvic, core, and hip stability to ensure maximum support and control for the shoulder.   

Lateral Epicondylalgia (Tennis Elbow) 

Lateral Epicondylalgia/epicondylitis (tennis elbow) is characterized by pain and tenderness on the outside of your elbow where muscles of the forearm that control extension of the wrist and fingers attach to the bone. You may experience numbness, tingling, pain or weakness in your hand or wrist that is especially pronounced with lifting, gripping or twisting the forearm—like opening a door or a bottle of wine!  Excess or repeated stress through the wrist and fingers — improper hitting, repetitive movements, or forceful movements with manual jobs, as well as too little warmup or poor conditioning, can all contribute to tennis elbow. At KNOSIS, we see tennis elbow as a sign of deeper movement inefficiencies. Recovery involves more than strengthening the wrist and elbow—it requires a whole-body approach including postural alignment to minimize strain, core and hip stability for a strong foundation, and task specific movement education to insure a return to pain-free function.  This holistic method ensures effective recovery and long-term resilience. 

Medial Epicondylalgia (Golfer’s Elbow) 

Medial Epicondylalgia/epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow) is characterized by pain and tenderness on the inside of your elbow where muscles that control flexion of the wrist and fingers attach to the bone.  There may be stiffness in the elbow or numbness, tingling, pain or weakness in your hand or wrist that is especially noted with extending the forearm. The injury is often related to excess or repeated stress through the wrist and fingers — improper lifting, throwing, hitting, repetitive, forceful movements with manual jobs, as well as too little warmup or poor conditioning, can all contribute to golfer's elbow. At KNOSIS, we see golfer's elbow as a sign of deeper movement inefficiencies. Recovery involves more than strengthening the elbow—it requires a whole-body approach including postural alignment to minimize strain, core and hip stability for a strong foundation, and task specific movement education to insure a return to pain-free function.  This holistic method ensures effective recovery and long-term resilience. 

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common conditions of the wrist and hand. It is characterized by pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness, often worsening at night. Pain is the result of pressure on the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway formed by the wrist bones. Beyond the wrist's anatomy, factors like repetitive movements, poor posture, neck and shoulder alignment, and faulty arm mechanics can contribute to nerve entrapment. Other health conditions may also play a role in exacerbating symptoms. At KNOSIS, we embrace a whole-body approach to recovery. In addition to focusing on the neck and arm, we address foundational alignment in the core, pelvis, hips, and spine to create a supportive system for the trunk, alleviating stress on the wrist and reducing irritation. This integrative method restores balance, reduces symptoms, and helps prevent recurrence, ensuring long-term resilience.   

Adhesive Capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder)

Adhesive Capsulitis Adhesive capsulitis, or frozen shoulder, is a painful and limiting condition that can arise without identifiable cause or after an injury or surgery. Often linked to an inflammatory process, it is characterized by excessive scar tissue and adhesions that form within the shoulder joint, restricting movement and causing pain. As stiffness increases, pain becomes more intense, especially at the end ranges of motion. 

At KNOSIS, we go beyond just symptom relief. Through gentle, hands-on therapies, we release soft tissue restrictions and ease adhesions while focusing on postural alignment and optimal joint positioning to help restore optimal movement and function. This integrative method restores balance, reduces symptoms, and helps prevent recurrence, ensuring long-term resilience.