What is Frozen Shoulder? Symptoms, Exercises, and Treatment Methods

What is Frozen Shoulder? What are the Symptoms, Exercises, and Treatment Methods for Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition characterized by restricted shoulder movement. This condition, which usually starts slowly and worsens over time, restricts shoulder movements and makes daily activities difficult. Symptoms of adhesive capsulitis include pain, restricted movement, and muscle weakness. Treatment methods vary. Options such as physical therapy, pain management, and surgical intervention are available. Additionally, it is recommended to perform various exercises to alleviate frozen shoulder and accelerate the recovery process.

What is Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, occurs as a result of the thickening, inflammation, and stiffening of the connective tissue surrounding the shoulder joint. When pain occurs, patients try to move their shoulder very little, which causes further thickening of the shoulder capsule. This thickening ensures that the patient cannot move the shoulder comfortably in the future, even if they want to.

What Are the Symptoms of Frozen Shoulder?

The symptoms of frozen shoulder are divided into three stages. These stages and symptoms are as follows:

Freezing stage: Stiffness occurs in the shoulder and moving it causes pain. The pain increases slowly and may intensify at night. In addition to pain in the shoulder, restricted movement is also observed. This phase can last between 2-9 months.

Frozen stage: In this phase, the pain may decrease, but the shoulder is still stiff. The stiffness in the shoulder makes it difficult to perform daily tasks. This freezing period can last between 4 months and 1 year.

Thawing stage: The pain subsides and the range of motion of the shoulder gradually returns. The time for complete or near-complete recovery can take 3 years or more.

How Is Frozen Shoulder Diagnosed?

When you consult a specialist doctor for a frozen shoulder diagnosis, your symptoms are questioned and a physical examination is performed. During the physical examination, the range of motion of the shoulder and whether there is pain during movement are checked. To distinguish it from other diseases that may show similar symptoms, a shoulder X-ray, ultrasound, or MRI may be performed.

What Are the Treatment Methods for Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder is usually treated with painkillers until the first stage passes. However, if the disease does not regress on its own, different treatment paths may be needed to regain shoulder movement.

Hot or cold compress: Applying a hot or cold compress can reduce pain and swelling.

Home exercises: You can perform the exercises taught to you by your specialist doctor at home.

Shoulder rehabilitation: You can perform exercises aimed at increasing stretching and range of motion with the help of a physiotherapist.

TENS: It is a small device that reduces pain by blocking nerves. It can be attached to some patients.

Pain and swelling reducing medications: If you pay attention to taking the medications prescribed by your doctor regularly, pain and swelling can be minimized. If there is more severe pain and swelling, medications can be injected directly into the body.

If frozen shoulder does not resolve with these methods, orthopedic surgery options can be evaluated and surgery can be performed. There are two types of surgery for this. During the surgery performed under anesthesia, the shoulder is forced to move. In this way, the tension in the capsule decreases and the range of motion increases. In the other, the thick parts of the joint capsule are cut. Instruments are placed in the cut areas.

What Are Frozen Shoulder Exercises?

Before starting to do frozen shoulder exercises, the area needs to be warmed up. Taking a warm shower for 10-15 minutes is a good method for this. A heated towel is also an option, but it is not as effective as a shower. When doing the exercises, try to stretch to the point of tension, but stop when you feel pain.

Pendulum: Start by doing this exercise first. While standing, let your shoulders hang loosely without tensing them and lean slightly, allowing the arm on the affected side to hang down. Swing your arm in a small circle. Repeat this exercise once a day, 10 times in each direction. As the pain decreases, you can increase the diameter of the circle, but never force your shoulder.

Towel: Grasp a towel about one meter long horizontally with your hands behind your back. Use the strength of your healthy arm to pull and stretch the arm with the frozen shoulder upwards. This stretching movement can be repeated 10-20 times a day.

Finger walk: Start by standing in front of a wall at a distance of three-quarters of your arm length. Reach the fingertips of your affected arm to the wall at waist level. With your elbow slightly bent, slowly walk your fingers up the wall and raise your arm to shoulder height or a height you can comfortably lift. Use your fingers instead of your shoulder muscles while doing this movement. Lower your arm slowly, repeating the movement with the help of your healthy arm if necessary. You can do this exercise 10 to 20 times a day.

Cross-body reach: While sitting or standing, use your healthy arm to lift your affected arm by the elbow and pull it slightly upward and across your body to stretch your shoulder. Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds. Repeat this stretching movement 10 to 20 times a day.

Armpit stretch: Using your healthy arm, place your frozen shoulder arm on a shelf at chest height. Slowly bend your knees to open and stretch your armpit. Bend your knees slightly deeper to stretch your armpit a little more, then straighten. Repeat this movement, stretching a little more each time, but without forcing it. Do this stretching exercise 10 to 20 times every day.

Rotator cuff strengthening: After your range of motion improves, you can start rotator cuff strengthening exercises. Make sure you warm up your shoulder and do your stretching exercises before starting strengthening work. For outward stretching, hold a rubber exercise band between your hands, with your elbows at your sides and at a 90-degree angle. Rotate the lower part of the affected arm outward two or three inches and hold this position for five seconds. For inward stretching, fix one end of the rubber exercise band somewhere. Grasp the other end with the hand of your frozen shoulder arm, with your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle. Pull the band toward your body between 5-7 cm and hold this position for five seconds. You can do these movements once a day, 10 to 15 times.

It is better to do these exercise movements by consulting your doctor, as not every exercise may be suitable for every patient.

When Is Surgical Intervention Necessary for Frozen Shoulder?

Surgical treatment is used quite rarely for frozen shoulder. If other treatment methods do not work, surgery may be necessary.

What Is the Recovery Process for Frozen Shoulder?

Each of the stages of frozen shoulder can last from a few months to years. Full recovery can take 18-24 months. To accelerate recovery, it is recommended that you do not neglect to do the exercises taught to you, talk to your physiotherapist, and take the prescribed medications.

Frequently Asked Questions About Frozen Shoulder

There are various risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing a frozen shoulder. This condition is most common in adults between 40 and 60 years old and in women. Having a recent shoulder injury is also an important factor that increases the risk of frozen shoulder. Any injury or surgery that restricts shoulder movement can lead to the development of frozen shoulder. An example of this is a rotator cuff tear. 10% to 20% of diabetic patients have a chance of developing a frozen shoulder. A stroke can lead to a frozen shoulder as it limits arm and shoulder movements. Additionally, other health problems such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland), hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland), Parkinson's disease, and heart disease can increase the risk of frozen shoulder. The exact causes of frozen shoulder are not known, but there is information about how it develops. Frozen shoulder begins when inflammation occurs in the shoulder joint capsule. This inflammation causes the capsule to thicken and tighten. Over time, thick bands of scar tissue form, which leads to a decrease in the amount of fluid inside the shoulder joint. This fluid is called synovial. Synovial fluid allows the joint to be lubricated and function properly. Therefore, the decrease in fluid restricts the shoulder's range of motion. In a situation where the shoulder is injured, the risk of frozen shoulder can be reduced by performing exercises at the right time. Your doctor will recommend exercises appropriate for your injury. When there is no injury, your posture during the day is very important. In terms of protecting shoulder health, you can keep your shoulders and arms in a loose and natural position. If frozen shoulder is not treated, the patient may have permanent pain and stiffness in the shoulder. At the same time, humerus fractures can also be seen. Since this situation will affect daily life very much, it is a good option to treat it without delay. You can make an appointment from the orthopedics and traumatology department for frozen shoulder treatment. Frozen shoulder can be understood from the symptoms. Symptoms include stiffness in the shoulder, pain, and restriction in movement. If frozen shoulder is not treated, the restriction of movement in the shoulder may increase, but there is also a possibility that it will pass on its own. Therefore, the situation of becoming permanent varies from patient to patient. You can make an appointment with a specialist doctor and have an examination without facing any dangerous situation.

If you are experiencing shoulder pain, stiffness, or restricted movement, consult an Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist without delay.

At Hisar Hospital Intercontinental, our specialist physicians are by your side with accurate diagnosis and effective treatment methods for your frozen shoulder and similar shoulder problems.

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