| The value of Frozen Shoulder exercises as a simple, | | | | done even when one is undergoing a course of |
| easy-to-do therapy that works and works quickly | | | | medication, and the two therapies will work together |
| cannot be over-emphasized. For the millions of people | | | | for faster recovery. |
| all over the world who are stricken with reduced arm | | | | Common to all these stretching exercises is the need |
| mobility and pain due to the condition, just a few | | | | to first warm up the stiff shoulder with a 10- to |
| minutes per day doing simple stretches can spell the | | | | 15-minute hot shower or bath. Immediately afterward, |
| difference between suffering nothing more than a | | | | the following movements are done. |
| week or two of shoulder pain and stiffness, and having | | | | The first stretch, called "walking the wall," involves |
| to live with up to three years of crippling physical | | | | placing the fingers of the affected arm on a |
| limitations. | | | | non-slippery wall, with the arm reasonably straight. |
| Frozen Shoulder, known medically as Adhesive | | | | Slowly, "walk" your fingers up the wall, so that the arm, |
| Capsulitis, is a disease common in the 40 to 60 year | | | | still relatively straight, is slowly raised, with the armpit |
| age range, especially among diabetics. Men have it as | | | | opening up. Continue this until you feel resistance or if |
| often as women, and there is seemingly no connection | | | | the normal dull pain increases. Slowly let the arm down. |
| to arm dominance, as people get it on the | | | | Another way to do this movement is to put the hand |
| non-dominant shoulder just as commonly as on the | | | | of your affected arm, assisting it with your strong arm, |
| dominant one. Unlike diseases such as bursitis, torn | | | | on a shelf or surface at about face level while |
| ligaments, and injuries suffered from overstressing the | | | | standing. Bracing yourself with the strong arm against |
| affected body part in some way, Frozen Shoulder's | | | | another shelf or a railing, slowly bend your knees so |
| causes remain unknown. All we know is that | | | | that your armpit opens up. Do this until you feel |
| symptoms of dull pain and limited range of arm | | | | resistance, then return to the standing position, and |
| movement stem from an inflammation of the tissues | | | | repeat. Often you will find that when you repeat the |
| around the arm-shoulder joint. Also, bands of tissue | | | | movement, your armpit will open a little more every |
| called adhesions form in the area, and the result is a | | | | time. |
| shoulder joint that is "frozen," with the patient often | | | | Do these exercises plus gentle stretches in all |
| unable to raise the arm above the head or reach to | | | | directions with your affected arm, and you should see |
| the middle of the back. | | | | great improvement in the range of motion in only a |
| It is therefore these limitations in motion that Frozen | | | | few days. Remember, warm up first before you do |
| Shoulder treatment exercises focus on. Usually, a | | | | these Frozen Shoulder exercises and keep the |
| doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs for the | | | | movements gentle and pain free. |
| condition, but these slow, gentle movements can be | | | | |