Frozen shoulder (also known as adhesive capsulitis) is a condition characterised by stiffness and pain in your shoulder joint. As the condition worsens, your shoulder’s range of motion becomes markedly reduced.
Some patients develop the condition after a traumatic injury to the shoulder such as a motor vehicle accident or following shoulder surgery, but this is not necessarily the cause. Most often, frozen shoulder occurs with no associated injury and is quite baffling for those who have a frozen shoulder develop unexpectedly. Some risk factors for developing a frozen shoulder include age and gender (middle aged women are the most susceptible), endocrine abnormalities (such as diabetes and thyroid problems), previous longstanding shoulder injuryand some genetic conditions such Parkinson’s disease.
Most often, a frozen shoulder can be diagnosed with a physical examination. Physiotherapy treatment for frozen shoulder primarily consists of symptomatic pain relief which includes heat, ultrasound, massage and passive stretching. We will give you exercises you can do at home to help with your range of movement and maintain your strength.
It takes on average between eighteen months and two and a half years for a frozen shoulder to resolve on its own but during that time we can provide you with much needed pain relief.
