What if the shoulder is where you feel the pain—but not necessarily where the entire problem began?

Lately, I have been seeing a pattern of shoulder and upper-arm pain in clinic without an obvious injury or clear mechanical onset. When the same presentation appears multiple times, I start looking beyond the painful structure and exploring what might be happening through all three layers: the physical body, the nervous system and the energetic or emotional body.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why the painful structure is not always the primary driver
• How the neck, ribs, clavicle and shoulder blade affect arm movement
• Why I look beyond the physical body when someone’s pain does not match their level of mechanical dysfunction
• How nervous-system state can influence muscle tone, breathing, pain sensitivity and recovery
• The shoulders and arms as tools of protection and action
• What can happen when the body prepares to push, reach or protect—but we suppress the action
• How pain and guarding can reinforce one another
• How I decide whether someone is ready to explore the deeper layers
• The energetic relationship between the shoulders, arms and heart space
• The Heart’s connection to summer, joy and connection in Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Why working through all three layers can offer a more complete understanding of the pattern

Summit takeaway:
Sometimes the body is not holding one specific emotion. Sometimes it is holding the posture of an action it has been preparing to take.

If this episode resonated with you, please rate and review the podcast—and share it with someone who might be carrying a little too much right now.

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Instagram: @alannacrawford_