If shoulder pain is interrupting sleep, reaching, lifting, or work, an evaluation can help clarify what may be contributing to it. At Lobacz Chiropractic in Evansville, your first visit begins with a consultation and examination before treatment recommendations are made.
This guide explains how to prepare and what we discuss. For an overview of conditions and treatment options, visit our shoulder pain treatment page.
What to Tell Us About Your Shoulder Pain
Think about when your symptoms began, whether there was an injury, and which activities are difficult. Useful details include:
- Whether reaching overhead or behind your back hurts
- Whether pain interrupts sleep or occurs when lying on the shoulder
- Changes in strength, stiffness, or range of motion
- Work, exercise, and repetitive activities that aggravate symptoms
- Previous treatment, imaging, and how you responded
Bring relevant information about your health history and previous care. You do not need to identify the diagnosis yourself; the purpose of the visit is to understand your symptoms and assess appropriate next steps.
What the Examination May Include
The shoulder works with the neck, upper back, shoulder blade, and surrounding muscles. Depending on your symptoms, we may assess active and passive range of motion, strength, rotator cuff function, shoulder-blade movement, and movements that reproduce discomfort.
These findings help us determine whether your presentation appears appropriate for conservative care or whether imaging, an orthopedic opinion, or another evaluation should be considered. A review available through PubMed Central discusses shoulder mechanics and factors involved in certain impingement patterns.
Questions to Ask Before Beginning Care
- What do the findings suggest is contributing to my symptoms?
- Which treatment options appear appropriate, and why?
- What will the proposed care cost?
- How will we measure progress?
- When will the plan be reassessed?
- Do the findings suggest I need another type of evaluation?
Recommendations may include chiropractic care, JointWave shockwave therapy, MLS laser therapy, and movement guidance. The combination depends on the examination; every patient does not need every treatment.
How We Review Progress
Useful goals relate to your daily life: sleeping more comfortably, reaching a shelf, dressing, lifting, or returning to work and exercise. We review changes in symptoms and function as care continues. If progress is limited, recommendations should be reassessed.
When Another Evaluation May Be Needed
Significant trauma, visible deformity, sudden severe weakness, fever with a painful swollen joint, chest pain, or difficulty breathing may require urgent medical evaluation rather than a routine office appointment.
Schedule Your Shoulder Consultation
Schedule your free consultation and examination at Lobacz Chiropractic, 4910 Temple Ave, Evansville, IN 47715, or call (812) 401-0994.
Dr. Andrew Lobacz, D.C., has practiced since 2004. We explain our findings and recommendations before you decide how to proceed.
