| Of the numerous options available for treatment of a | | | | stages of adhesive capsulitis will be less likely to halt |
| frozen shoulder syndrome, physical therapy remains | | | | their treatment and follow through to the end. |
| the most widely accepted conservative choice. | | | | Treatment techniques used by physical therapist to |
| Physical Therapy, if provided by a therapist specializing | | | | treat a stiff or frozen shoulder include the use of |
| in disorders of the upper extremity, can address not | | | | thermal modalities such as moist heat (provides |
| only the loss of motion and stiffness that accompany | | | | short-term pain relief and increases blood flow into the |
| this condition, but also can provide a significant | | | | affected shoulder), electrical stimulation (reduces |
| measure of pain relief during the process. | | | | muscle spasm and pain), ultrasound (focal deep heat |
| A good program starts with an accurate diagnosis by | | | | of shoulder soft tissue), joint mobilization (increases the |
| your physician. Simply trying to "self-treat" a frozen | | | | joints' mobility), and targeted exercise (increases |
| shoulder with randomly chosen exercises runs the risk | | | | strength and function affected by immobility or disuse |
| of inducing further loss of motion and increasing the | | | | of the shoulder). These techniques are used in specific |
| amount of pain. However with a properly chosen PT | | | | combinations depending on the stage of adhesive |
| program a patient with this condition can make a | | | | capsulitis the patient is in or severity of the patient's |
| difference in his/her recovery, although it is almost | | | | symptoms. |
| always preferable to have "hands-on" care from a | | | | Treating a frozen shoulder requires consistency and |
| specialist who can provide joint mobilization. | | | | daily action to reduce the debilitating effects of this |
| An advantage of a well designed exercise or | | | | condition. Use of pain medication is short term at best |
| treatment program is the education it provides | | | | and will not help the sufferer regain use of the arm. |
| regarding expected outcomes and progression of | | | | Surgery or manipulation under anesthesia should be a |
| frozen shoulder syndrome. All too often a patient is | | | | last resort and only when all other conservative |
| evaluated by a therapist and then will attend 2-3 | | | | methods fail. Other treatment options such as |
| sessions or perform a few sessions of self treatment | | | | acupuncture, herbal remedies, or homeopathic |
| and abruptly stop because they are perceiving minimal | | | | treatments should be researched carefully as they |
| progress. These patients will subsequently begin to rely | | | | often provide minimal to no relief but cost the patient |
| on quick fixes such as medication which only serve to | | | | hundreds of dollars. Physical therapy for frozen |
| mask the underlying problem. Conversely, a patient | | | | shoulder relief is the best option for those who wish to |
| who understands what each exercise is meant to | | | | get to the root of the problem and maximize their |
| achieve and understands the progression of the | | | | recovery. |