| As a Frozen Shoulder is a 3 phase disorder, there is | | | | though, they can only relieve in part and temporarily, so |
| not a one size fits for all frozen shoulder therapy. The | | | | much that most sufferers keep taking anti |
| frozen shoulder medical term is Adhesive Capsulitis, a | | | | inflammatories both over the counter and prescription. |
| reference to the scars called Adhesions of the | | | | Massage therapy also aims at softening up the |
| capsule membrane surrounding the rotator cuff. Such | | | | capsule scarred tissue. A more effective solution is |
| scarred and thickened tissue restricts the space within | | | | cortisone injections, but they also have undesired side |
| the shoulder joint mechanics, preventing the arm from | | | | effects, like drugs. Manipulation and surgery are very |
| moving freely, causing the typical limited range of | | | | effective if drastic and should be considered only as a |
| motion. | | | | last resort. Manipulation is the breaking of the |
| A frozen shoulder develops in 3 phases: | | | | adhesions by the surgeon moving the patient arm |
| 1) A freezing phase, when the symptoms first occur | | | | under general anesthesia due to the high pain threshold. |
| with pain on the side of the shoulder, especially at night. | | | | No surgery proper is performed but like surgery it is no |
| The pain may spread down to the elbow, depending | | | | walk in the park. Both therapies require a professional |
| on gravity. At this stage the range of motion is still | | | | rehabilitation program of stretching exercises to loosen |
| unaffected. During this time the usual treatment | | | | up the adhesions and prevent a relapse. |
| consists of anti inflammatories to relieve the pain. | | | | 3) A thawing phase, when the adhesions naturally but |
| 2) A frozen phase, when the person affected is | | | | very slowly recede, allowing the sufferer a very long |
| greatly impaired in all mundane tasks requiring rotation | | | | recovery phase lasting 1 year or more. During this |
| of the arm or over head movements such as reaching | | | | phase, a frozen shoulder physical therapy is very |
| for the cupboard or steering the car wheel. This phase | | | | effective. These specific stretching exercises are |
| can last up to 1 year and the only effective treatments | | | | devised with a particular technique to recover range of |
| to some extent are ultrasounds and hot pack to | | | | motion. They are performed with no resistance and |
| soothe and break somehow the adhesions. Pain at this | | | | help the natural healing times speed up, restoring |
| stage is not as strong, but disability is at its highest. Hot | | | | flexibility and strength. |
| pack and ultrasound are not extremely effective | | | | |