Frozen Shoulder, Anyone have it?

[Butch627]

Several months ago I lost my flexibility and strength on one of my shoulders. At first I brushed it off as a pulled muscle, than I thought I must have torn something. Finally after a couple of months I went to a chiropractor who took x rays and diagnosed me as having mild to moderate arthritis and a frozen shoulder. He treated me for a while and I got some flexibility back but I have hit a plateau which is nowhere near where I need it to be. Ive been taking yoga which has helped my flexibility but once again its benefits to my shoulder seemed to have hit a sticking point. Ive been trying to do some weightlifting with dumb bells using less than 1/4 of what I would have used pre injury but with very little strength progress. I never heard of Frozen Shoulder before it happened to me and I have been doing some googling but have not found a lot of useful information. I can't wait the 1 to 3 years it takes to get over this as must of my research has indicated.

Have any of you been diagnosed with this? Please tell me about your experience with it and treatments.

 

[drillsgt]

Adhesive Capsulitis, we see it pretty often in clinic. It sounds like you're still pretty active find a sports med doc and go from there, the internet only goes so far.

 

[Double T]

Are you diabetic? If not, it typically goes away on it's own.

 

[Dead Duck]

My girlfriend gave me the cold shoulder once.

Who knew it was contagious?

 

[wtburnette]

My ex-wife was diabetic and had a frozen shoulder. Finally had to go in and have surgery for it. I believe she's been fine now for several years afterwards.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Adhesive Capsulitis, we see it pretty often in clinic. It sounds like you're still pretty active find a sports med doc and go from there, the internet only goes so far.

I'd never heard of this before. My first thought was "rotator cuff".

 

[Birds Away]

My mom had a frozen shoulder. I think she had to have two surgeries before she regained full mobility.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Have you tried traveling south?

 

[Mark-DuCo]

Have you tried applying heat to it? (sorry, someone had to say it)

 

[dprimm]

Ihad one. Did pt for several months and got 85-90% back. No idea what caused it.

Got rest of mobility back when i wrecked during a race at town run. Cracked a molar but got the shoulder back.

Get to a GOOD PT.

 

[Tactically Fat]

How about having the XRay's read by a radiologist ... and not a chiropractor?

And getting a bona-fide medical diagnosis by a (wait for it) an actual physician?

 

[Butch627]

Are you diabetic? If not, it typically goes away on it's own.

Not diabetic

I'd never heard of this before. My first thought was "rotator cuff".

X rays say my rotator cuff is sound

Have you tried applying heat to it? (sorry, someone had to say it)

Heat loosens it up well in the shower, but the benefit fades minutes later.

 

[T.Lex]

A really good friend of mine (happens to be diabetic) had it. Started in one shoulder, then went to the other one, too. (It actually helped his golf game in some ways.)

He had the surgery, one shoulder at a time, and made a full recovery. (His golf game is proof.)

 

[Hardscrable]

Wife had frozen shoulder 7-8 yrs ago. Physical therapy. Home exercise using an apparatus attached to a door.

 

[drillsgt]

Good resource here: Diagnosis and management of adhesive capsulitis

 

[Mark 1911]

Is this something that needs or will eventually require surgery? If that would fix it, might be worth it.

 

[Bennettjh]

Wife had frozen shoulder 7-8 yrs ago. Physical therapy. Home exercise using an apparatus attached to a door.

My Mom had it. This ^ is what helped her.

 

[Butch627]

Good resource here: Diagnosis and management of adhesive capsulitis

Wow, that's the best article I have read on it. Thank you.

Is this something that needs or will eventually require surgery? If that would fix it, might be worth it.

Im a long way off from considering surgery, I have a lot of options to pursue before I would think about it.

 

[Steve B]

I'm diabetic and suffer from arthritis. I had this a couple of years ago. Lost almost all use of my right shoulder in a few weeks. The therapy isn't for whimps. It hurts like hell and you have to willing to suck it up and do it. It took me about 3 months to get it back to about 95%. It's still sore at times but I make sure to exercise it every day. I don't ever wish to go through that again.

 

[Mark 1911]

Im a long way off from considering surgery, I have a lot of options to pursue before I would think about it.

Consider yourself lucky! I had rotator cuff surgery last December. Almost 7 months later, I am just now getting to the point where I can turn the steering wheel a full 360 right-handed. I am not planning to hunt archery this fall for the first time in 26 years - although I might be good for the late season.

Best of luck on a full recovery.