Frozen shoulder is a very painful and debilitating condition of shoulder characterized by pain and severe stiffness. It occurs in patients more than 40 years of age. The fact is that shoulder pain affects one in five people at one time or another in their lives. Pain often starts with a small injury that gets worse but can sometimes come-on suddenly. Once established it impacts almost every aspect of your life; from dressing to sleeping, it can even cause depression. People with diabetes have increased risk of developing frozen shoulder.
WHAT CAUSES FROZEN SHOULDER?
- The exact cause of frozen shoulder remains unknown, however in number of cases it occurs after another shoulder injury eg. Rotator cuff tendonosis, bursitis, arthritis,supraspinatus tendinitis, post shoulder surgery etc.
- Poor posture l Hormonal and genetic conditions like Diabetes, hyperthyroidism can also contribute to frozen shoulder.
- Shoulder pain; usually a dull, aching pain l Limited movement of the shoulder l Difficulty with activities such as brushing hair, putting on shirts/bras
- Pain when trying to sleep on the affected shoulder.
- Medical history and physical examination by physiotherapist to rule out all possible causes for shoulder pain.
- Structural problems can only be identified with the help of imaging tests, such as an X - ray or MRI.
Most patients with frozen shoulder are cured by Physiotherapy and very small percentage of patients may require intra articular injections or surgery. Physiotherapy treatment often involves wide range of treatment techniques for pain relief, restoration of mobility and muscle strength.
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) - Numbs the nerve endings in the spinal cord that control pain.
- Short wave diathermy and Ultrasound- These are deep heating modalities which help to reduce inflammation and prepare tissue for stretching and reduce pain.
- Exercises- It is a very important part of the treatment. Exercises will help break up the scar tissue in the shoulder and should be done twice a day. Mobilization and stretching exercises help to improve joint mobility, strengthening of rotator cuff muscles with theraband to improve stability of shoulder and coordinate normal movement pattern.