SHOULDER INJURIES · LIGHTHOUSE POINT, FL
Shoulder Injuries After a Car Accident: Treated With 9 Therapies Under 1 Roof
- 30 years in practice
- FL DC license CH5281
- 5.0 on Google (8 reviews)
- Florida PIP accepted
- Phone answered 24/7
- Saturday appointments by request
- Se habla español
Symptoms usually show up: days
Last updated September 2026 · Reviewed by Dr. Carol McNamara-Krauss, DC
A shoulder injury from a car accident is damage to the rotator cuff, the joint capsule, the labrum, the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, or the muscles that hold the shoulder blade, caused by the seat belt, the steering wheel, or the door in a collision. The shoulder is a shallow ball-and-socket joint held together mostly by soft tissue, which makes it easy to strain and slow to heal.
Shoulder symptoms often take days to become clear. On the first day the pain is spread across the neck and upper back; by day three or four it settles into the shoulder. Florida's 14-day PIP rule does not wait for the pain to localize.
How shoulder injuries happen in a collision
The driver's left shoulder and the front passenger's right shoulder sit under the seat belt's shoulder strap. In a frontal crash the body loads that strap with full force, and the strap drives the collarbone and AC joint down and back. Bracing on the steering wheel does the rest: the arms lock, the impact travels up through the hands, and the rotator cuff takes a compressive load it is not built for.
Side impacts, common at intersections along Sample Road and Atlantic Boulevard, push the door into the shoulder. That can sprain the AC joint, bruise the rotator cuff, or in a harder hit tear the labrum. Rear-end crashes strain the muscles between the shoulder blades along with the neck.
How we evaluate a shoulder injury
Dr. Carol McNamara-Krauss is a Florida-licensed chiropractic physician (DC), license CH5281. The shoulder exam covers range of motion in flexion, abduction, and rotation, measured and recorded; strength testing of each rotator cuff muscle; orthopedic tests for impingement, labral injury, and AC joint sprain; and a neurological screen of the arm. The neck is examined at the same visit, because shoulder pain and cervical nerve root pain overlap.
X-rays are ordered for a suspected fracture of the collarbone or humerus and for AC joint separation. An MRI is ordered when strength testing suggests a rotator cuff tear, through our imaging and specialist referral process. A full-thickness tear goes to an orthopedic specialist for an opinion first.
How we treat shoulder injuries
Class IV laser therapy on the LightForce system is the first-line tool for rotator cuff strains and AC joint sprains: it reduces inflammation in the tendon and capsule without loading the joint. Shockwave therapy on the Chattanooga system is used for tendon injuries past the acute stage that need stimulation to remodel. Laser and shockwave are never used on the same area, so Dr. McNamara-Krauss picks one for each structure and documents which.
Therapeutic ultrasound settles the muscles around the shoulder blade. Chiropractic adjustments restore motion to the AC joint, the shoulder blade, and the upper back, which the shoulder depends on to move overhead. Massage therapy with Dawn Marie Teufel, LMT, addresses the pectoral and upper back muscles that tighten after a seat belt injury.
Recovery and what gets documented
Shoulder strains improve over several weeks. Tendon injuries take longer because tendons have poor blood supply, and we say that at the start. Overhead reach is usually the last thing to return. We measure range of motion and strength at set intervals so the record shows a trend.
The claim file holds the initial orthopedic and neurological findings, range-of-motion and strength measurements, imaging reports, the treatment applied at each visit including which structure received laser and which received shockwave, and your reported pain and function, in a proprietary case documentation system built in consultation with personal injury attorneys. Narrative reports are written on request and the file goes out as one PDF. See medical documentation for attorneys.
When the emergency room or a specialist comes first
Go to the emergency room first if the shoulder is visibly deformed, if you cannot move the arm at all, if the collarbone is tented or has a step in it, if the arm is numb and cold, or if the shoulder injury came with chest pain or trouble breathing. Broward Health North in Deerfield Beach is the closest ER to our office, and Holy Cross Health serves Fort Lauderdale. Once fracture and dislocation are ruled out, we treat the shoulder.
Dr. Carol McNamara-Krauss is a Florida-licensed chiropractic physician (DC), license CH5281. Medical content on this page is reviewed by Dr. McNamara-Krauss. It is general information, not legal advice.
30
Years in practice
Dr. Carol McNamara-Krauss, DC, chiropractic physician, FL license CH5281.
8
Treatments in one office
Chiropractic Adjustments · Spinal Decompression (Antalgic-Trac) · Class IV Laser Therapy (LightForce Class IV) · Shockwave Therapy (Chattanooga ESWT) · Massage Therapy · Therapeutic Ultrasound (Chattanooga) · Electrical Stimulation (Chattanooga) · Nutritional Counseling
For attorneys and case managers
Where to place a client for treatment in North Broward
- · Attorney-patient case coordinator: Janelle Deal, 30 years in Florida PIP claims
- · Same-day exam with orthopedic and neurological testing, documented that day
- · Visit notes on every encounter, narrative reports on request, one PDF
- · EMC referral handled so the full $10,000 PIP benefit stays available
- · English and Spanish, phone answered 24/7
Shoulder Injuries after a car accident: questions
Why does my shoulder hurt more at night after the crash?
Night pain is typical of rotator cuff and bursa inflammation. Lying on the shoulder compresses the swollen tendon against the bone above it, and lying still lets the inflammation pool. It usually eases as the swelling comes down with laser therapy. Night pain that does not change over several weeks of care is a reason for an MRI referral.
Can a seat belt injure my shoulder?
The seat belt shoulder strap is one of the most common causes of shoulder injury in a frontal crash. It drives the collarbone and AC joint down while the body loads forward, and it bruises the muscle underneath. A tender line across the shoulder and chest following the strap is the sign. We examine the AC joint, the collarbone, and the rotator cuff in every seat belt case.
Do I need an MRI for a shoulder injury?
An MRI is ordered when strength testing shows a weak rotator cuff, when there is catching or instability suggesting a labral tear, or when the shoulder is not improving as expected after several weeks. A simple strain or AC sprain does not need one. A full-thickness tear on the MRI goes to an orthopedic specialist for an opinion.
Is shockwave or laser better for a shoulder injury?
Laser is used in the acute phase to reduce inflammation without loading the tissue. Shockwave is used later for tendon injuries that have plateaued and need stimulation to remodel. They are never applied to the same area, so Dr. McNamara-Krauss chooses based on the structure and the stage of healing, and records which one was used where.
How long do I have to get my shoulder examined after a crash?
Florida PIP requires initial treatment within 14 days of the accident, regardless of when the shoulder pain becomes obvious. Call (754) 342-6479 at any hour; we answer 24/7 and offer Saturday appointments by request. Chiropractic care for a shoulder injury is covered under PIP. This is general information, not legal advice.
When is a shoulder injury not something we treat here?
A dislocated shoulder, a fractured collarbone or humerus, or a full-thickness rotator cuff tear that needs surgical repair goes to the emergency room or an orthopedic surgeon first. Visible deformity, inability to move the arm, or a numb and cold arm are emergencies. Go to Broward Health North or call 911. We co-manage after surgery when the surgeon clears it.
Injured this week? The 14-day clock is running.
Call (754) 342-6479, any hour, or send the short form. You will see Dr. McNamara-Krauss, not a rotating provider, and your first treatment happens the same visit.
Phone answered 24/7 · Florida PIP accepted · Saturdays by request · Se habla español
Attorney or case manager? Refer a client and Janelle Deal will call your office.
Office
3320 N Federal Hwy #107, Lighthouse Point, FL 33064
On US-1 between Copans Road and Sample Road. Parking in front.
Appointment hours
Mon, Wed, Fri 8am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm · Tue 2pm to 6pm · Saturday by request · Front desk Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm
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