Chiropractor For Shoulder Pain - Functional Chiropractic & Massage Therapy

Living with shoulder pain that won't quit

Maybe it started after a fall, a repetitive motion at work, or nothing you can even point to. Now it's the thing you brace for before you reach into the back seat, or the reason you've stopped sleeping on that side. Painkillers and rest have only gotten you so far, and you're starting to wonder if this is just how it's going to be.

It isn't. Shoulder pain that's stuck around usually has a specific, treatable cause; it just needs the right hands-on approach to find it.

What's actually going on with your shoulder

Shoulder pain can come from a few different places: rotator cuff irritation, frozen shoulder, impingement, or referred tension from the neck and upper back. Each one responds differently to treatment, which is why a proper assessment, not guesswork, matters before anything else.

Chiropractic care in Coquitlam for shoulder pain isn't limited to spinal adjustments. At FCMT, shoulder treatment centers on Active Release Techniques (ART), a hands-on soft tissue method that treats the muscles, tendons, and fascia around the joint directly. It's not a service every Coquitlam chiropractor offers.

How Dr. Sherma Libatique treats shoulder pain

Dr. Sherma Libatique, DC, holds her Doctor of Chiropractic from the University of Western States and a Bachelor of Health Sciences from Simon Fraser University, and is trained in Active Release Techniques (ART), a distinct qualification for treating shoulder and soft tissue injuries beyond standard spinal adjustment. Her approach is evidence-based and whole-person: no two shoulders got hurt the same way, so no two treatment plans look identical.

If your shoulder injury happened at work or in a vehicle accident, FCMT handles ICBC and WorkSafeBC direct billing, along with MSP and extended health, so cost isn't a reason to put off getting assessed.

What to expect

Assessment

A full evaluation of your shoulder's range of motion, strength, and the surrounding neck and upper back to find the actual source.

Hands-on treatment

ART and manual adjustment targeted to what's actually restricting the joint.

A plan forward

A clear guidance on what's improving, what to expect next, and how to keep it from coming back.

Life after treatment

Patients treated for shoulder pain at FCMT report reaching overhead without hesitating, sleeping through the night again, and getting back to lifting, sport, or work without the shoulder being the first thing they think about each morning.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long until my shoulder feels better?

It depends on the cause. Some soft tissue irritation eases in a few visits, while frozen shoulder or longer-standing injuries take a structured plan over several weeks. You'll get a realistic timeline after your assessment.

What's the difference between frozen shoulder and a rotator cuff injury?

Frozen shoulder involves stiffness and progressively losing range of motion, while a rotator cuff injury tends to cause sharp pain with specific movements like lifting the arm overhead. Both are assessed and treated differently, and this gets clarified at your first visit.

Can I keep working out or playing sports while being treated?

In most cases, yes, with some adjustments. Part of your assessment includes guidance on what movements to modify or avoid short-term so you can stay active without aggravating the injury.