What is Frozen Shoulder?
Never heard of frozen shoulder? Don’t worry, you’re probably not alone. Affecting around 2% of the general population, frozen shoulder might not be as widespread and prevalent as other physical ailments, but the ramifications of the condition can be quite serious.
Also known as adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder normally affects people between the ages of 40 and 60, with women being more susceptible to the condition than men. Characterized as pain and stiffness that can possibly leave your shoulder being immobilized, frozen shoulder is when the capsule in your shoulder thickens around the joint, thus limiting its movement.
So what are the stages of frozen shoulder and how do you treat this debilitating condition ? Or looking for a Massapequa physical therapist to help you overcome your frozen shoulder condition? Our staff at Park Physical Therapy has you covered.
Stages of Frozen Shoulder:
- First Stage: Often referred to as the “freezing phrase”, this is when you start to develop pain, stiffness and begin to lose range of motion in your shoulder. This stage can last from six to nine months.
- Second Stage: Known as the “frozen stage”, pain might begin to lessen but stiffness in your shoulder might increase while your range of motion even becomes more restricted. This stage usually lasts four months to a year.
- Third Stage: Known as the “thawing stage”, you will finally start seeing signs of improvement as stiffness decreases and range of motion increases. Return to normal strength and complete range of motion however can take anywhere from six months to two years.
Treatment
Depending on the severity of your condition, multiple treatment plans are offered.
- Physical Therapy-Primarily trying to minimize pain while maintaining as much range of motion of possible, physical therapy is often recommended. Your physical therapist will come up with specific exercises and, stretches designed to increase strength and range of motion. Some exercises include external rotation, forward flexion, and crossover arm stretch.
- Medication- Aspirin and ibuprofen can help reduce pain and inflammation and in case of more severe cases, your doctor might recommend stronger pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Surgery-Most cases of frozen shoulder don’t require surgical treatment but if needed, doctors will perform surgery to remove scar tissue and adhesions from your shoulder joint. Arthroscopic surgery is usually recommended and recovery is usually six weeks to three months.
Interested in finding out more about ailments that affect the shoulder, or looking for a Massapequa physical therapist? Our staff at Park Physical Therapy is only a phone call away to help you answer any questions you might have or get you back on the path to recovery.
