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I am sure you or someone you know has suffered with or been affected by a frozen shoulder at some point. Known in the medical world as adhesive capsulitis, this condition can be downright miserable for folks.
Who gets it? It is often brought on after injury or a period of immobilization (e.g. arm in a sling after surgery or dislocation). However, it also comes on insidiously too. Statistics indicate it more commonly affects women and those with diabetes are at more risk for getting it in both arms.
Some feel it may ultimately be an autoimmune reaction that triggers it. So, what is it exactly? Well, in plain terms your shoulder joint has folds of connective tissue we refer to as a joint capsule. In frozen shoulder cases, the capsule becomes shortened and inflamed making arm movement painful and limited at best.
There are three distinct phases:
- Freezing
- Frozen
- Thawing
These phases may progress over the course of months or in some cases last as long as 2-3 years to resolve. In time, the condition will correct itself.
Symptoms may include:
- Stiffness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Pain along the shoulder or down into the arm
- Certain movements more restricted than others
- Progressive worsening of motion and decreasing pain
No one wants to suffer with this for any prolonged period of time. So, how do you accelerate the healing process? You must move the shoulder daily within your available range of motion. But doing the right exercise is critical.
In addition, I believe having an experienced therapist do joint mobilizations is critical in loosening up the capsule provided it is done within pain tolerance of the patient and followed up by appropriate stretching. For those without insurance or looking to avoid the grueling stretching some docs and PT’s advocate, I recommend looking at my home therapy guide.
Want more info? Visit www.frozenshouldertherapy.com for success stories and more details on my proven home remedy. You can also click on the image below:
In addition, I think you can complement rehab with a tool like the Rotater to help restore mobility. I have trialed this product myself and I really like the ease of use and control the patient has with the stretching intensity. For more details, click on the image below:
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