Hindsight is 20/20. It’s easier to know the right thing to do after it has happened. Here is Kathy Perry’s story of a frozen shoulder. Last summer, she noticed her left shoulder pain and how it wanted to freeze up and continually got worse. She ignored it until October. Kathy’s doctor prescribed physical therapy 2 times a week,
Since you will only be in the physical therapy clinic for 2-3 hours per week for Frozen Shoulder or Adhesive Capsulitis, your therapist will give you exercises to complete at home (HEP—Home Exercise Program) once they know what you tolerate in your PT sessions. This will allow you to take some of your recovery into your own hands and regain your shoulder strength and range of motion more quickly.
At your first visit to physical therapy for frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis, you will undergo a full evaluation to assess your shoulder range of motion and strength. Your therapist will create a program of therapeutic exercises and stretching to address any areas of limitation and pain.
A normal physical therapy session may look like the following:
Adhesive capsulitis, commonly known as “frozen shoulder”, occurs secondary to inflammation and thickening of the fibrous joint capsule of the glenohumeral joint. The glenohumeral joint includes the head of the humerus and the concave glenoid fossa of the scapula and is where most of our shoulder motion comes from. The inflammation and thickening of the glenohumeral capsule causes it to adhere down to the humeral head,
Beverly Waddell is a patient at our Shelbyville clinic. She was officially diagnosed with frozen shoulder. It occurred as she was trying to get down on her hands and knees, and unfortunately, she slipped while getting down. She fell directly on her shoulder, jamming it into the ground. She dealt with the pain for about 4-6 months,
Tammy “Tam-Tam” Palmer had surgery on her right shoulder over 10 years ago. At that time, the doctor told her that she would eventually have to have the left shoulder operated on as well due to some arthritis. However, Tammy decided to put off that surgery. Several months ago she started having pain and could not get comfortable at night.
Trish Martin was treated and released from physical therapy for frozen shoulder. Then, 6 months later, she started noticing limitations in her opposite shoulder. Sure enough, she had frozen shoulder again. She was unable to wash her hair with both hands, reach her back pocket, or sleep without pain.
“Adhesive capsulitis (also known as frozen shoulder) is a painful and disabling disorder of unclear cause in which the shoulder capsule,