Frozen shoulder (also known as adhesive capsulitis) is a common cause of persistent shoulder pain that often develops gradually over time.
This type of shoulder pain usually comes on slowly, gradually limiting everyday function and disrupting sleep. It occurs when the capsule around the shoulder becomes inflamed, thickened and stiff. It is largely unknown why this happens, but it is more prevalent in women aged 40 – 60 years old. It leads to pain, progressive reduction in movement and difficulty with daily tasks.
It usually occurs in 3 stages:
1 – Freezing – increasing pain and gradual loss of movement
2 – Frozen – very stiff and limited movement but pain levels may reduce
3 – Thawing – movement slowly improves
These three stages can take 1 – 3 years to occur, which is why early intervention is key.
Osteopathic Treatment
Treatment will be tailored to suit the patient’s level of pain and degree of movement, but treatment might include:
- Gentle joint mobilisation
- Soft tissue massage to surrounding musculature
- Improving mobility of associated joints
- Exercises to improve range of movement
Exercises
These must be appropriate for the stage of frozen shoulder but will aim to restore range of movement of the shoulder and surrounding joints, and to improve strength.
If you are struggling with shoulder pain, please do contact us for an appointment.
