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: Can we revisit the frozen shoulder? |
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| | From:  ChristineKip (Original Message) | Sent: 10/18/2008 1:56 PM |
We have talked about this in the past and many of you have experienced a frozen shoulder. My left shoulder froze about 5 years ago and I started physical therapy for it and then quit and hoped it would recover on its own. Fast forward to now. This same shoulder no longer aches..but I definitely do not have the range of motion that it had prior to all of this. I now have the same problem going on with my right shoulder. It is the beginning phase and it is very painful and the range of motion is so limited right now that it frightens me. I started physical therapy last week for BOTH shoulders! I told them my story and they are working with me (3x a week) to try and get both shoulders to have full range of motion. My attitude is far different now and I am much more cooperative with them ;) The physical therapist mentioned that I may need to go have surgery to have scar tissue removed (and whatever else technically tightens up the shoulders) and then he said I would need therapy 5 times a week!! I would like to hear from those of you that had/have frozen shoulder. Where are you in the process? What did you do or what are you doing and what was the result? Trekker, I really want to hear from you because you are the only one I know that had surgery. What specifically did they do to you and where did they cut and how large was the incision and what was the recovery time? Did you get back to having a normal range of motion? Please give me all the specifics. Anyone with frozen shoulder please let me know the specifics of your journey. This has become such an issue for me and I need help getting a coat on and even help pulling a shirt over my head. It has definitely affected my sleep also. Thanks ahead of time for any info. Christine |
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I had frozen shoulder in my left shoulder about 7 years ago and with PT twice a week it eventually went away. I don't think you ever regain full motion but i can move it now without any pain. I now have it in my right shoulder and the pain was very bad before I restarted PT twice a week. I could not tuck in my shirt and felt like an invalid. Now with PT I am slowly regaining some motion still with pain. When the therapist works on me I feel like screaming the pain is so bad. It's important to do the exercises when you are at home to keep the joint loose and prevent it from tightening up. It's a long process to recovery and a very slow one, you have to be patient. I would stay away from surgery and just bare with it for now and follow the therapist's exercise program. Good Luck. Dennis |
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Christine, In 1982 I had my right shoulder broken loose under anesthesia for adhesive capsulitus (frozen shoulder). I had been going to a chiro for several months for treatments, but it didn't work for me. The Chiro said I was the only patient he had had that this procedure hadn't worked on so he set me up to see an orthopedic doctor who did the surgery. It was called surgery, but no cutting, just breaking loose the adhestions in the shoulder by manipulation. There was therapy afterwards in the hospital and at home. In 1986 it began again this time with my left shoulder, so I did the same exercises at home to keep shoulder from freezing up. Alas it chose another way to freeze, so I again had to be put under anesthesia for the manipulation to break it loose. Again with physical therapy and home exercises. Thankfully I haven't had the problem again. Trekker |
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Ask your therapist about Kinesio Taping and/or Kinesio Massage. I used the tape after my carpal tunnel surgery, suggested by my therapist and I am sure that is what healed me eventually. I noticed it as well on the olympic volley ball players, their shoulders were taped. Here is one website, but their are tons. I ended up buying my own tape and quit therapy eventually until I was fully healed. Seems bizare. but it worked. |
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Karen, I used the kinesiotape too...isn't it amazing? Who would think that a simple, lightweight bandage would provide so much relief, but it sure did. Although I've never had frozen shoulder, I've got all sorts of stuff going on in my hands that is possibly similar. I've had one trigger thumb release surgery, and just had to have two cortisone shots within 3 months in the other thumb...next step there, if it flares up again, is surgery. I've also had a trigger finger that's already been treated 3 times and will have to be surgically fixed if it flares up again. Plus I've got the Dupuytren's, pretty severely on the left palm. I'm told all of this is probably caused by diabetes. On the other hand, if these are the only complications I ever get, I will get down on my knees every single day and thank God! Ruth |
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Christine--Yes, I can do both with no problem NOW. I could not do both last fall......are you athletic? I think what may have helped was that I continued to do everything like frisbee, baseball, and horse back riding through the pain...My biggest complaint during the "thawing" process was that I could not put my hand on my hip normally---it looked deformed or like a "lazy" arm. And if I jutted out both elbows in front of my body...bending my wrists flat and inward in a yoga-like position--palms meeting center--the left elbow always drooped. Now, however, the left elbow is even with the right one. I would hold off on surgery and give the therapy a chance. Sarah |
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Thanks for all the replies. I googled frozen shoulder manipulation and read all about it (eeks!). The info I found said that 2% of the general population will experience frozen shoulder while 10 to 20% of diabetics will experience it. From what I read it sounds like frozen shoulder manipulation is very successful and a good option for those who do not regain full range of motion from the physical therapy. Dennis, I agree with what you said about the pain while the therapist works the arm. I start off in a hot pool to loosen the shoulders and then I do stretching exercises..he ends our session with me on a table and trying to move the arm further each time. I have yet to make it through this without tears streaming down my face. Sarah, I am "somewhat" athletic. I do work out and I am active but my problem is the motion of reaching backwards. I don't tend to do much where my arms are reaching behind me. Your post made me wonder how much age has to do with it also? What I am wondering now is can (will??) frozen shoulder return to a shoulder twice? I want to take yoga classes and I want to be able to twist like a pretzel when I am 90...I don't want this condition to age me before my time. Christine |
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Christine, I was riding with a new acquaintence today who has had Type 1 diabetes for 30 years. I asked her, and she had frozen shoulder in only one shoulder so far. She had the surgery and said it was the best thing she ever did. She said they took out a 1/4 inch of scar tissue? She now rides/jumps at shows--with full use of her affected arm. No easy feat when you are maneuvering an animal that weighs 1400 pounds. Sarah |
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Hmmm, I am going to talk to an ortho about this. I have yet to hear a story where someone had their shoulder manipulated and regretted it. Your post about your new friend is inspiring BUT I must admit the thought of someone moving my arm (even if I am out cold) has made me sort of sick to my stomach for 2 days. I can't get over how much this is on my mind :( Christine |
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| | | From: Gayle58 | Sent: 10/20/2008 3:09 PM |
Christine; Regarding having frozen shoulder twice in the same shoulder - my PT said it was more than likely I would have it again in that shoulder during my lifetime. So not looking forward to that. I wish you the best of luck with your decision for surgery or no. Gayle |
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I talked to my Therapist today and she said many Orthopedics stopped the Manipulation Process because they were disturbing things like Tendons and other parts that didn't need disturbing. She is an excellent PT so I follow her advice. I will stick with the therapy and let it and time heal my painful shoulder. Good luck whatever you decide. Dennis |
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I'm sure whatever you decide will work out for you... I remember you saying how happy you were with the results from the carpal tunnel and trigger finger surgeries. Try to think of this in the same terms...a quicker solution to the problem. As for twisting like a pretzel when your 90, that's ambitious! I've pretty much figured that aging is going to suck whether we're diabetic or not! As long as I am of sound mind, I'll hobble around with a smile on my face! Sarah |
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Dennis- Thus far I haven't seen an ortho for my shoulder. I went from my endo to physical therapy. I am trying to get in with an ortho this week to discuss options. I will ask him if he does this procedure and what his thoughts are on having it done. From what I read on the internet..sometimes they do make a small incision to actually remove scar tissue (which it sounds like that is what Sarah's friend had). If that is needed, then there is no way that physical therapy alone can work. Christine |
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My Therapist told me even though I am in a great deal of pain that I have too much motion in my shoulder to even be considered for the procedure. PT worked for me when I had frozen shoulder in my left shoulder it just took time and I hope it eventually cures my right shoulder. With the manipulation procedure you have to hope that you don't have trouble with the area down the road over the years. It's good that you will be seeing an Ortho please let us know what he says about your situation. I don't know how much motion you have in your shoulder and if you have been told that PT will not help you regain the motion than maybe your situation warrants a shot at the manipulation procedure. But if you're looking for a quick fix I hope the Ortho will advise you against the procedure. I wish you luck whatever the Ortho and you decide. Dennis |
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| | | From: Simons | Sent: 10/25/2008 2:43 AM |
Your talking about frozen shoulders is ironic. I got a letter from Mayo Clinic yestersday saying that they wanted to follow up on the artifical shoulder replacement I had done five years ago at Mayo. My shoulder still bothers me so much. I can not say that the surgery helped at all. Simons |
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Christine, I'm not sure exactly how frozen shoulder is different from rotator cuff impingement, but I had the latter, and it was my yoga instructor who cured me...this after physical therapy had actually made it much worse. Once you get this straightened out, yoga may help prevent it from coming back. If you can find a yoga instructor who is expert in restorative yoga, he or she can probably give you yoga exercises specifically for that purpose. Ruth Ruth |
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