Jerry’s Story: From Shoulder Pain Behind the Wheel to Lifting, Working and Sleeping Pain-Free

Age: 33  |  Active in: Strength training  |  Condition: Right shoulder pain  |  Care: 15 weeks  |  Outcome: Overhead pressing and rows with no pain, sleeping through the night

The Problem

Jerry is a truck driver. He sits for long hours, so his workouts during the week matter a lot. They are how he fights back against all that sitting.

But his right shoulder was getting in the way. He could not press overhead. He could not do a clean row and pull his shoulder blades back together. Even sitting was uncomfortable, and that made long days on the road harder and his sleep worse.

Why It Mattered

Jerry had a 2-year-old at home and a newborn on the way. He wanted to be a healthy dad. He wanted to play with his kids, take care of his house, and do side projects on the weekend. He also wanted to do his job comfortably, sleep well, and be able to work longer hours.

What We Found in the Assessment

The shoulder was not the whole story. The problem was actually coming from Jerry’s neck. The muscles in his neck and his shoulder were not working together, so his body compensated.

He was pushing too much through his right shoulder, and it was losing stability. His other shoulder was not mobile enough to help balance the load. One side was doing too much, and the other side could not help.

Where it hurts is not always where the problem starts. That is why every shoulder case at RXN begins with a full movement assessment.

The Treatment Plan

Jerry’s care lasted 15 weeks and had three parts:

• Hands-on work to calm things down and get his neck and shoulders moving better.
• Retraining his overhead press so both sides shared the work again.
• Stabilizing the whole shoulder through performance rehab, so he stays strong and resilient for years to come.

The Outcome

Today, Jerry can do all of those movements with no problem. He presses overhead. He rows with his shoulder blades working together. He works around the house and on his weekend projects.

And he sleeps through the night, knowing he will be strong enough to keep up with his kids as they get older.

Why This Worked for Jerry

Jerry worked one-on-one with Dr. Ryan from his first visit to his last. Instead of only treating the sore shoulder, the plan fixed the neck and shoulder connection behind it. It was built around his real life: long hours sitting at work, lifting during the week, and two little kids at home.

Could This Work for Your Shoulder?

If you sit for work and your shoulder pain is getting in the way of your lifting or your sleep, a movement assessment is the right next step. We will tell you honestly what we find and what it will take.

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Written by Dr. Ryan Giniel, D.C., founder of RXN Performance in Uptown Dallas. More about Dr. Ryan →