If a patient is presenting with shoulder pain, once you have screened for red flags and visceral referral, we can focus on the mechanical presentations. 

Although we get taught hundreds of techniques for assessing shoulder range and function, in general a gross assessment of all planes will give you sufficient information to begin treatment. 

However, one area we tend to ignore or forget is the connections to the rest of the torso. 

We need to look at fascial chains connecting the anterior shoulder to the chest and abdominal structures and especially the role of the lattismus chain in the stabilisation of both the lumbar spine and the shoulder. 

Referring back to our core principles, we can see that if the pelvis and lumbar spine are dysfunctional then the lat chain and hence the shoulder may be recruited to improve stability. 

Therefore, whenever we see a shoulder issue, it falls on us to check further away which may lead to a more significant improvement than just working locally.