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Frozen Shoulder

Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)
Frozen shoulder is a condition where a shoulder becomes very painful and stiff. Movements of the shoulder become reduced, sometimes completley frozen. It is thought to be due to scarlike tissue forming in the shoulder capsule. Without treatment, symptoms usually go but this may take up to 2 years. Various treatments are used to ease pain and improve the movement of the shoulder.


How does the shoulder work?
The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body and is often affected by painful problems which limit movement. Movement takes place at the main shoulder joint as well as the shoulder blade which moves over the back of the chest. A group of muscles called the rotator cuff plays a very important part in the working of the shoulder, helping to move it and hold the joint together. Problems with the rotator cuff can cause several painful conditions.


What are the symptoms of frozen shoulder?
The typical symptoms are pain, stiffness, and limitation in the range of movement of a shoulder.


There are three phases.
Phase one the freezing, painful phase. This typically lasts 3-9 months. The first symptom is usually pain. Stiffness and limitation in movement then also gradually build up. The pain is typically worse at night, and when lying on the affected side.


Phase two - the frozen, stiff phase. This typically lasts 6-12 months. Pain gradually eases but stiffness and limitation in movement remain and can get worse. All movements of the shoulder are affected but the movement most severely affected is usually rotation of the arm outwards. The muscles around the shoulder may waste a bit as they are not used.
Phase three - the thawing, recovery phase. This typically lasts 6-24 months. The stiffness gradually goes and movement gradually returns to normal, or near normal.
Symptoms often interfere with everyday tasks such as driving, dressing, or sleeping. Even scratching your back, or putting your hand in a rear pocket may become impossible. Work may be affected in some cases.

There is great variation in the severity and length of symptoms. Untreated, on average the symptoms last 2-3 years in total before going. In some cases it is much less than this. In a minority of cases, symptoms last for several years.


Who gets frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder affects about 1 in 50 adults at some stage in their life. It most commonly occurs in people aged between 40 and 60. It is more common in people who have diabetes. Either shoulder can be affected but most commonly it is the non-dominant shoulder. That is, the left shoulder in a right handed person. In about 1 in 5 cases the condition also develops in the other shoulder at some stage. Frozen shoulder is not a form of arthritis, and other joints are not affected.


What causes frozen shoulder?
It is thought that some scar tissue forms in the shoulder capsule. The capsule is a thin tissue that covers and protects the shoulder joint. The scar tissue may cause the capsule to thicken, contract, and limit the movement of the shoulder. The reason why the scar tissue forms is not known.


What are the treatment options for frozen shoulder?
The aim of treatment is to ease pain and stiffness, and to keep the range of shoulder movement as good as possible whilst waiting for the condition to clear. One or more of the following may be advised to help ease and prevent symptoms.


Shoulder exercises

These are commonly advised. The problem being is that it is too painful to move. The aim is to keep movement as full as possible. For most benefit, it is important to do the exercises regularly, and the use of a tens machine is highly regarded as it gives you pain relief so you can exercise.

Physiotherapists can give expert advice on the best exercises to try including heat or cold, but TENS machines are the number one drug free pain relief treatment.


Testermonial

Peter, My wife has unfortunately suffered from a frozen shoulder for nearly a year. It has been debilitating for her and despite cortisone injections (never again) and physiotherapy she still remained in pain. I sent for and received your TENS Machine in January. After a couple of weeks using your tens she began to experience pain relief and she can now go without pain if she uses it for 15 minutes twice a day. I also use it for my bad back. We are getting on in years and it is not easy to get around at the best of times, the tens has worked wonders. I thought it was just another gadget, but it works wonders, the performance of the machine is beyond our expectations! … We belong to a card club and have been telling our friends and praising the benefits of owning the tens machine, I have even hired it out to my friends. It’s lovely that Val can have a decent nights sleep. Thanks again

Bob and Val Cutler Sydney

Posted by Peter Thornton at 6:26 PM

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