If reaching for something, lifting your arm, or doing daily tasks feels painful and restricted, you might think you have a frozen shoulder. But it’s important to get the right diagnosis since a frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, can be over diagnosed. Accurate identification is key, as many shoulder issues mimic its symptoms.
At Sandalwood Physiotherapy, we are dedicated to helping you find the perfect remedy. So, let’s look at what a frozen shoulder is, what causes it, and how physiotherapy can help.
What Is Frozen Shoulder?
When the connective tissue in your shoulder joint, the capsule thickens and stiffens, you get a frozen shoulder. This results in swelling, scarring, hurt, and reduced mobility. It usually starts with minor pain gradually leading to even the simplest things becoming difficult movements-use lifting or reaching for instance.
What Causes It?
Frozen shoulders can happen in different ways:
- No clear cause (Idiopathic): Sometimes, a frozen shoulder is simply too hard to name.
- Shoulder injury: Problems like rotator cuff tears or tendonitis can bring on this condition.
- Certain medical conditions: Diabetes, thyroid factors, or even recent surgeries can make it more likely that you will come down with a frozen shoulder postoperatively.
- Systemic health: Trauma or rare diseases may also facilitate this.
Symptoms and Stages
Frozen shoulder usually has three stages:
- Freezing: Pain increases, and movement becomes harder.
- Frozen: Pain may ease, but stiffness and limited range of motion persist.
- Thawing: Gradual improvement in mobility over several months.
Why an Accurate Diagnosis Matters
With a frozen shoulder, you’ll have to be specific about how to treat it. This differs from other types of shoulder problem
For example, active exercise within the painful range of the joint is needed (which could be wrong for other issues).Misdiagnosis and wrong medications sometimes make the pain worse or lengthen the recovery period.
Treatment for Frozen Shoulder
At Sandalwood Physiotherapy we create a treatment that is suited to your needs, including:
- Exercises aimed at recovering mobility and easing stiffness
- Laser therapy for pain relief and reducing inflammation
- Shockwave therapy to improve healing and circulation.
- Joint mobilization for better movement and strength.
Get Back to Everyday Life
If shoulder pain is stopping you from living your life, don’t wait to get help. At Sandalwood Physiotherapy, we’ll guide you through a customized treatment plan to “thaw” your frozen shoulder and get you moving again.
