Frozen Shoulder?
Talking with a Client this morning, I wanted to talk about Frozen Shoulder. As a society we are constantly with our shoulders rolled forward and this problem is about 95 % of my clients. Using computers, Lifting weights unbalanced, Texting and driving are all common causes. What happens is that your shoulders roll forward causing micro tears in the muscles all around the shoulder blade. Those Micro-tears form Capsules of healing liquid similar to a scab. Well, when you are constantly creating new capsules over and over, they combine and lock together and can not be release properly. Those can limit the range of motion for your scapula. Your scapula is imperative to movement of the arms.
Massage can help release those adhesions in the muscle and freeing up the scapula. Once the scapula is able to move easier, blood flow becomes easily moveable around the shoulder blade and you can start doing exercise at home daily to keep from getting locked up again.
If you find yourself with limited range of motion or locked up shoulder, Come in and see me so we can get you started on getting your range back. Below is an article on Frozen Shoulder, exercises and kinesiology taping you can do at home.
Article found on the Mayo Clinic:
Overview Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition characterized by stiffness and pain in your shoulder joint. Signs and symptoms typically begin gradually, worsen over time and then resolve, usually within one to three years. Your risk of developing frozen shoulder increases if you're recovering from a medical condition or procedure that prevents you from moving your arm — such as a stroke or a mastectomy. Treatment for frozen shoulder involves range-of-motion exercises and, sometimes, corticosteroids and numbing medications injected into the joint capsule. In a small percentage of cases, arthroscopic surgery may be indicated to loosen the joint capsule so that it can move more freely. It's unusual for frozen shoulder to recur in the same shoulder, but some people can develop it in the opposite shoulder. Symptoms Frozen shoulder typically develops slowly, and in three stages. Each stage can last a number of months.
Freezing stage. Any movement of your shoulder causes pain, and your shoulder's range of motion starts to become limited.
Frozen stage. Pain may begin to diminish during this stage. However, your shoulder becomes stiffer, and using it becomes more difficult.
Thawing stage. The range of motion in your shoulder begins to improve.
For some people, the pain worsens at night, sometimes disrupting sleep. Causes The bones, ligaments and tendons that make up your shoulder joint are encased in a capsule of connective tissue. Frozen shoulder occurs when this capsule thickens and tightens around the shoulder joint, restricting its movement. Doctors aren't sure why this happens to some people, although it's more likely to occur in people who have diabetes or those who recently had to immobilize their shoulder for a long period, such as after surgery or an arm fracture. Risk factors Certain factors may increase your risk of developing frozen shoulder. Age and sex People 40 and older, particularly women, are more likely to have frozen shoulder. Immobility or reduced mobility People who've had prolonged immobility or reduced mobility of the shoulder are at higher risk of developing frozen shoulder. Immobility may be the result of many factors, including:
Rotator cuff injury
Broken arm
Stroke
Recovery from surgery
Systemic diseases People who have certain diseases appear more likely to develop frozen shoulder. Diseases that might increase risk include:
Diabetes
Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
Cardiovascular disease
Tuberculosis
Parkinson's disease
Prevention One of the most common causes of frozen shoulder is the immobility that may result during recovery from a shoulder injury, broken arm or a stroke. If you've had an injury that makes it difficult to move your shoulder, talk to your doctor about exercises you can do to maintain the range of motion in your shoulder joint.
