Frozen shoulder is a condition in which there’s stiffness and inflammation on the shoulder. In addition, this causes pain and restricts movement of the shoulder. The pain is usually constant and gets worse during cold temperatures and at night time. One sign of frozen shoulder is that the joint becomes very stiff and it becomes difficult to move.
As a result, frozen shoulder can develop when you stop using the joint normally because of pain, injury, or a chronic health condition, such as diabetes or a stroke. Any shoulder problem can lead to frozen shoulder if you do not work to keep full range of motion.
Frozen shoulder occurs:
- Most often in people 35 to 80 years old.
- After surgery or injury.
- Most often with athletes who plays baseball and Football.
- Most often in people with chronic diseases.
- More often in women (especially in postmenopausal women) than in men.
How is frozen shoulder diagnosed?
Your doctor may suspect frozen shoulder if a physical exam reveals limited shoulder movement. An X-ray may be done to see whether symptoms are from another condition such as arthritis or a broken bone.
Treatment for frozen shoulder includes massage therapy and physiotherapy with range of motion exercises, muscle manipulation, heat application and acupuncture for pain relief. We also apply modalities such as TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), cryotherapy, EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulator) in order to alleviate pain from the shoulder area. Stretching exercises are usually the cornerstone of treating frozen shoulder. Our therapist also encourages patients to warm up their shoulder before performing their exercises.
Our therapist guides patients through exercise programs that will help the supporting muscles get stronger and they will also teach you manual stretches that can be perform anywhere in order to reduce muscle tension and fatigue.