Frozen Shoulder – Part 1 - Health Plus Digest

The medical term for a frozen shoulder is called adhesive capsulitis. The condition causes pain and stiffness in the shoulder and over time will cause the shoulder to be very difficult to move. The condition worsens over time and will usually resolve within one or two years. Doctors are not sure what triggers a frozen shoulder but find that it’s more likely in people who recently had to immobilize their shoulder for an extended period of time, like after an arm was broken.

There are three stages to the condition which involves the freezing, frozen and then thawing. During the freezing stage there is more pain and loss of range of motion. This stage will often last from 6 weeks to around 9 months. There are no predictable patterns, only that most people have gone through this phase by 9 months.

During the frozen stage the pain is actually much better but the stiffness remains. Movement in this stage is very difficult and will last for 4 to 12 months. Sometimes you’ll have more pain at night which disrupts sleeping and increases the perception of pain. Because of the lack of movement, shoulder and upper arm muscles will start to atrophy, or get smaller through lack of use.

Resources:

Sports Injury Clinic: Frozen Shoulder

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/shoulder-pain/frozen-shoulder

American Diabetes Assciation: Frozen Shoulder

http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/related-conditions/frozen-shoulder.html

Cleveland Clinic: Adhesive Capsulitis

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/orthopaedics-rheumatology/diseases-conditions/adhesive-capsulitis.aspx

American Family Physician: Adhesive Capsulitis

http://www.aafp.org/afp/1999/0401/p1843.html

Harvard Public health: How to release a frozen shoulder

http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/how-to-release-a-frozen-shoulder

MedlinePlus: Frozen Shoulder