Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder is a condition that affects your shoulder joint. It usually involves pain and stiffness that develops gradually, gets worse and then finally goes away. This can take anywhere from a year to 3 years.

A shoulder is “frozen” when the capsule protecting the glenohumeral joint contracts and stiffens. Scar tissue (adhesions) may also form between the joint capsule and the head of the humerus.

A frozen shoulder usually develops in 3 stages:

• Freezing stage. Any movement of the shoulder causes pain, and the shoulder’s ability to move becomes limited. This stage lasts from 2 to 9 months.
• Frozen stage. Pain might lessen during this stage. However, the shoulder becomes stiffer. Using it becomes more difficult. This stage lasts from 4 to 12 months.
• Thawing stage. The shoulder’s ability to move begins to improve. This stage lasts from 5 to 24 months.

There are certain factors that may increase the risk of developing frozen shoulder:

People that have had to keep their shoulder still are at higher risk of developing frozen shoulder. This can be the result of many factors such as:

•     Rotator cuff injury
•     Broken arm
•     Stroke
•     Recovery from surgery

People that have certain diseases are more at risk of developing frozen shoulder:

• Diabetes
• Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
• Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
• Cardiovascular disease
• Parkinson’s disease

What can a biokineticist do for frozen shoulder?

A biokineticist will be focused on restoring shoulder normal range of motion. They will begin with exercises that stretch the joint capsule and then exercises to improve muscle strength of the joint capsule and other muscles surrounding it. Exercises for good posture can also be prescribed.