What is a frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder also known as adhesive “capsulitis” is a common condition experienced within the shoulder joint that can cause pain and movement restriction. This condition is poorly misunderstood and ongoing research is required to determine the cause of the disease . It is hypothesized that the shoulder joint capsule becomes inflamed initially and then tightens as the condition progresses. Typically, the frozen shoulder involves three stages which include freezing (pain increases and movement is restricted), frozen (pain may decrease and shoulder joint stiffens) and thawing (pain reduces and shoulder movement improves) . Each individual’s duration of their symptoms will vary from person to person.
Who is more likely to get a frozen shoulder?
This condition tends to affect individuals aged between 40-65, which is more common in women than men. Some risk factors correlated to adhesive capsulitis include individuals diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and thyroid-related conditions. In addition, the non-dominant side may be affected more often.
How can physiotherapy assist with a frozen shoulder?
The role of physiotherapy is to help alleviate pain symptoms and optimize an individual’s shoulder range of movement. Other aspects of physiotherapy management is to provide patient education and postural analysis to ensure other joints within the body are not affected during this rehabilitation phase.
How can I arrange a physiotherapy assessment if I believe I am experiencing a frozen shoulder?
Here at Physio4life, our physiotherapists understand each individual is unique. Through a detailed patient assessment, our physiotherapist will determine what is the best course of action moving forward for you.
The easiest way to arrange an initial assessment is to contact us directly or call us on 020 8704 5998 or email us at at admin@physio4life.co.uk.