Frozen Shoulder Exercise - Don't Waste Your Time

I really believe what the above title says - "Don't waste your time", however not in the way you probably thought this post was about. Frozen shoulder exercise is most effective when started early, not late in the recovery process. Therefore there are many reasons not to waste time in starting the rehabilitation process.

Don't waste your time waiting to see if it will heal. Once your doctor has said you have adhesive capsulitis, be proactive and begin immediately the exercises your doctor or therapist has outlined for you. Just a month of inactivity could mean months of added rehab.

Don't waste your time trying to find the "instant frozen shoulder miracle" - it doesn't exist. I know this from treating hundreds of shoulder patient's. The ones who believe rest and denial are the road to recovery often end up with a dysfunctional arm for years. In other words, be careful of "snake oil" salesmen.

Don't waste your time going from doctor to doctor trying to make sure that you really have adhesive capsulitis. If the signs and symptoms are there, treat it so and avoid potential job ending or hobby ending dysfunction. Take the bull by the horns, so to speak.

Although painkillers have there place in the rehab process, don't waste your time thinking "just one more" hydrocodone pill will do the trick. Although this condition is very painful (I know because I've had it), I don't know of anyone who has had to go to the hospital because of the symptoms.

Don't waste your time performing the same frozen shoulder exercises over and over. Your shoulder will respond more readily to a variety of movements in different planes of motion. If you are having a hard time, consult with your therapist or doctor for different techniques to improve your shoulder pain and range of motion.

Don't be a party to the time wasters out there who think they have the best advice in telling you that "it's no use" or "no matter what you do it won't get better". Each person diagnosed with this condition responds differently in different time frames. One person may have great results with his therapy program while another may tell you it has been a poor experience. However my experience has shown me that most of the patients who have a less than desired outcome have neglected to follow a strict plan of action for getting rid of there shoulder pain and stiffness. The ones who begin a frozen shoulder exercise plan early will reap the rewards of a once again painless shoulder

Exercises For Frozen Shoulder Treatment

Some of the best exercises for frozen shoulder treatment actually involve two people, you and a partner. These do not involve the other person "yanking" or "cranking" on your arm (which is a no no) so try to be in a relaxed state when following these suggestions. Moist heat also helps just prior to beginning these exercises. As always, it is recommended that any exercise is done under the guide of your physician or physical therapist, therefore you are on your own if attempting these without the above:

• Lie supine (on your back) and have your partner (standing) hold onto your wrist with your arm extended fully at the elbow and your shoulder at about 45-60 degrees. Your partner then will gently shake your arm, almost at a vibrating pace, for 30 seconds to a minute. This helps to relax tense and guarded muscles.
• Have your partner then gently pull your arm (while you relax) first straight down towards the direction of your toes. Hold this for about 20-30 seconds. Next, have them pull out to your side and hold the same amount of time. After that, have them pull in an upward direction and hold 30 seconds. Repeat this sequence 3-4 times before moving on to the next exercise.
• While lying on your back, have your partner stand facing towards the direction of your head. Your shoulder should be at about 45 degrees away from your body with your elbow bent at 90 degrees. Your hand should be pointing towards the ceiling if possible. They should then support your elbow underneath with the hand closest to your body and hold your wrist with the other hand. While relaxed, have them gently push your hand backwards toward your head until a mild stretch is felt. Hold this stretch at least 30 seconds then relax. Repeat several times.

The above frozen shoulder rehab exercises are great preliminary warm-ups for further stretching on your own. For maximum effectiveness, these should be done 3-4 times per day if possible, particularly if you are in the "freezing" stage of a frozen shoulder.

frozen shoulder cure?

As a physical therapist I'm often asked if injections "cure" a frozen shoulder. I almost always begin by saying "no" and then proceed to tell the patient that an injection (typically and anti-inflammatory agent) MAY give some temporary relief, but is not the answer to their stiffness and pain.

In fact, an injection with a corticosteriod, if given multiple times, can cause way more problems than it solves. Repeat steroid injections can weaken tissues and bone and may actually put the recipient at further risk.

Now if the pain is unbearable I'm not totally against this type of injection, but would rather educate the patient on the benefits of specific frozen shoulder exercise and treatment to reduce the amount of pain and stiffness.

You see, when a frozen shoulder develops the first thing a patient does is stop moving the shoulder as much. This causes "adaptive shortening" of the joint capsule surrounding the crucial rotator cuff. When this happens the cuff muscles do not have enough "room" to perform their function and end up getting iritated due to friction againt the capsule wall.

Guess what happens then? MORE pain and stiffness. The best solution to relieving frozen shoulder pain is with a specifically targeted exercise program designed by a healthcare professional that has experience in this area. The gradual stretching of capsular tissue and release of adhesions is the true "cure" for a frozen shoulder.