Frozen shoulder occurs when the shoulder movement is restricted. Find out the common frozen shoulder treatments and causes.
Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is a condition where the shoulder joint has a loss of motion, i.e., “frozen”. The pattern of pain and restriction in movement is fairly characteristic.
This condition can last from weeks to months.
A classical frozen shoulder follows the following stages:
Frozen shoulder can be classified into two categories:
By and large, however, frozen shoulder can occur without any known cause.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Frozen Shoulder?
These are possible signs of frozen shoulder:
Anti-inflammatory medication may be prescribed during the initial stage.
The goals of physiotherapy include:
For patients who do not respond to conservative treatment, the doctor might suggest surgery such as manipulation under anaesthesia to help to increase the range of movement. For further information, please discuss this with your orthopaedic doctor.
If left alone, it may take up to two years to resolve some complications of the frozen shoulder, such as weakness and reduction in range of movement. Factors affecting recovery include the severity of the frozen shoulder and compliance with an exercise programme.
Unfortunately, you cannot prevent frozen shoulder from happening — but you may minimise the complications by doing the exercises taught regularly. The condition is such that you will have recurrences of stiffness and twinges of pain from time to time. Continue your exercises during these periods only as pain allows.
It is important to do your shoulder rehabilitation exercises as prescribed by your physiotherapist. Please consult your healthcare provider before you start any form of self-exercise and treatment. Engaging in the exercises diligently can help with the treatment of the injury.
Everyone recovers from an injury at a different rate. In general, you should be able to trial a return to normal or vigorous activity when:
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This article was last reviewed on Tuesday, December 21, 2021