What Is Frozen Shoulder or Adhesive Capsulitis?
Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, occurs when the tissue around your shoulder joint becomes tightened and inflexible.
How Did I Get Frozen Shoulder?
Often the result of rotator cuff tears, impingement syndromes and chronic shoulder dislocations, frozen shoulder is most painful at night making it almost impossible to fall asleep on the affected side. You may also feel chronic inflammation, gradual stiffening in your shoulder and severe pain that seems to last for two to nine months before diminishing especially when performing these simple daily activities:
- Brush or Washing your hair
- Putting on a coat
- Fastening a bra
- Reaching into a back pocket
- Reaching for an item on a high shelf
- Scratching the spot between your shoulder blades
If Frozen Shoulder is Untreated What Happens?
Untreated, studies have shown that people afflicted with frozen shoulder can remain symptomatic for as long as five to ten years. Being a massage therapist, I often catch these symptoms early and help my patients to manage their pain and return to a painfree quality of life. I utilize a combination of massage treatment techniques, such as muscle stripping and trigger point release, to reduce inflammation and to remove fascial restrictions around the shoulder itself; this reduces pain, increases the mobility of the affected shoulder and dramatically speeds up recovery. With the involvement of a physiotherapist, we are also able to prevent the rotator cuff and deltoid muscles from wasting away from a lack of use due to the restriction.
If you have any of the above symptoms, please contact us at Absolute Physiocare so that we can immediately assess your condition and help you return to a painfree way of life.
Treatment for Frozen Shoulder or Adhesive Capsulitis in Burnaby BC
This blog was written by Ryan Wong registered massage therapist (RMT) at Burnaby PhysioCare.
To learn more or to make an appointment for massage and physiotherapy treatment at Absolute PhysioCare in Burnaby BC, contact us at 604-558-CARE (2273) or get in touch with us online.