Expert: Dr. Paul Newhart - 1/26/2009

Question
I was in a motocross accident 2 yrs ago.  i came down on the front tire of the bike and my shoulders gave way and my entire body smashed against the bike coming down from a 15ft jump.  I have terrible shoulder pain and my ribs make a cracking sound when i stretch. my upper back has never been the same either.  When i lift my arms from my side my left shoulder and half my neck come up from behind me.  My doctor took all the x rays and said nothing was broken but when i sleep i lay on that side and wake up in terrible pain. I would like a fix rather than pain management. are  there any suggestions on conditions or injuries that may have been overlooked?

Answer
One of the methods we use in our office is a type of myofascial release.  Fascia can "bind" restricting muscle movement, and would need to be addressed.  Couple this with the physical force of your injury which may have caused misalignments in the ribs or vertebrae, and you may have a lead in the cause of your problem.  A good chiropractor should be able to asses and treat the injury, as well as set you up on a good rehab program to strengthen the area in question.