Did you know that “cold shoulder” is an actual condition? It’s true. Not because of falling temperatures, but because of the thickening and tightening of the capsule surrounding your glenohumeral joint.
Adhesive capsulitis, also known as frozen shoulder, is generally characterized by pain and extreme stiffness in the shoulder that develops slowly and worsens over time. It occurs in two to five percent of the general population is more commonly found in women than men.
Causes
While the precise cause of adhesive capsulitis is not yet fully understood, the phenomenon has been known to develop after incidents such as trauma from a fall, immobilization after a medical procedure, an episode of extreme overuse, and autoimmune issue.
More often than not, there is no determinable trigger or cause for the onset of frozen shoulder in a patient.
Symptoms
Four different stages typically define adhesive capsulitis, each with their own set of associated symptoms:
- Pre-freezing: 1-3 months of symptoms
- Pain with active and passive motion
- Aching at rest
- Potentially sharp pain with movement
- Minor restriction in motion
- Pain during the day and at night
- Freezing: 3-9 months of symptoms
- Progressive loss of motion
- Increased pain
- Potentially intense pain at night
- Difficulty completing daily activities with the affected arm
- Frozen: 9-14 months of symptoms
- Considerable loss of motion
- Pain may be less intense and on the end of available motion
- Thawing: 12-15 months of symptoms
- A significant decrease in pain, particularly at night
- Slightly limited range of motion
- No difficulty using the affected arm for daily activities
Treatment
More than 90 percent of patients with frozen shoulder improve with non-surgical treatment, although more extreme cases may require surgery.
Options for treating frozen shoulder include:
- Physical therapy to restore range of motion for daily activities and decrease pain using a variety of exercises and manual therapy techniques (such as stretching, strengthening, joint mobilization).
- Anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain and inflammation that may contribute to motion loss.
- Intra-articular injections, such as local steroids and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), to aid in anti-inflammatory measures and pain control.
- Surgical treatment depending on the severity of your condition. To stretch and release the stiffened joint, you may require manipulation under anesthesia or capsular release surgery.
How Quickly Will I Recover from Frozen Shoulder?
The prognosis for adhesive capsulitis depends greatly on the stage of disease, as well as the amount of pain and stiffness. However, frozen shoulder normally resolves within 12-15 months.
As with most injuries and conditions, seeking treatment before the shoulder completely freezes improves the recovery time. If you feel you are developing or have developed frozen shoulder, schedule an appointment with SetPT today!
