Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)-anyone else?

[kima]

I have frozen shoulder syndrome in both my shoulders and wonder if anyone else has had this and has suggestions for exercies or just has a story to share.

Frozen shoulder affects middle aged women more than any other segment of the population and can come on gradually with no injury or trauma (ME).


It has three stages- the "freezing stage"- the most painful, then the frozen stage (immobility) and then the thawing stage when things gradually improve and the pain decreases. Sounds like what a turkey goes through. :rolleyes: :o

From all I have read and from my own experience as I had this last year in my right shoulder, there really isn't much that works but I am open to ideas.

I miss doing weights etc. I can barely do ladies pushups and I was doing two sets of 25 full pushups ....


Anyway I would love to hear from anyone who has been through this
Thanks.

[wallycat]

I am so sorry you are dealing with this.
Please go for physical therapy!! They are amazing.

I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder after my bilateral mastectomy and I wanted to DIE from the pain. One visit with some exercises (using pulleys) she showed me and I was like new!!!!

I know frozen shoulder will usually clear up on its own, but why suffer.
You are in Canada with better health care than we have!!!! GO!!!

I hope you feel better soon.

[kima]

Compared to all you have been through I have no right to complain.


I have written a physio friend of mine for some exercises but you are right I should go and see someone.
I send all my athletes for every little thing.

Take care Ana!

[wallycat]

Kima (Maureen)!!
You have every right to "complain" as you call it...
Physical pain is worse than emotional pain sometimes and having been through both, I don't wish it on anyone.
I am the LOUDEST complainer, so feel free to join me :D ;)

I did not believe a pinched nerve could be helped so quickly...and she squeezed me in because they were swamped...I spent all of 10 minutes with her and the results were nothing short of stunning.

[Casey1230]

Ouch! I know that this is so painful. I had a frozen shoulder about 10 years ago... out of nowhere! I tried physical therapy for months and nothing helped. I finally had to had it 'manipulated' in out-patient care. They basically put you under (as I was told, the pain is so intense that you have to be out) and they 'break' up the deposits that have 'frozen'. I had to have arm elevated for 24 hours and then it was GONE! I suffered for months with it and it was so nice to be able to actually hook my bra in the back(:eek: ) again. The doctor told me about some exercises to keep it from coming back (apparently, once you have it, you are apt to get again)... lean over at waist, hold a weight of some type in hand and swing it like a pendulum back and forth. Good luck

[kima]

Oh my Casey- that sounds awful. I hope I don't get to that point.I am not in constant pain but only when I make certain movements (usually rotational).
From all I have read it just seems to run its course whether you do anything for ir or not.
I do know of that exercise you mentioned and have been doing it- without weights rght now.

I am worried and sad about losing all the strength I have built up- slowly and not overdoing it. I also love my fitness class where we use weighted bars. I am going to keep going but just not use weights. The leg work is awesome.

Ana- you are not a complainer at all!

[lisas3575]

Hi Maureen! I'm sorry to hear you're dealing with this. :( Nothing helpful to add besides my sympathies and a hearty hello. Hang in there!

[mackandme]

I had adhesive capsulitis about 10 years ago. In my case, it came on from overuse/too much external rotation from working 60 hours a week at a horribly designed workstation.

Physical therapy worked well for me. I didn't just have exercise - they also did massage and my all-time favorite PT modality (is that the right word): the one that kind of zaps your muscles and makes them tense and relax.

Not only did PT make me better, but it really built up my muscles. I only did the exercises with the affected arm, and by the time i was done you could see a real difference in the two arms. If you can swing it, i recommend giving the PT a shot, if just to get exercises you can do at home.

[syzygy]

Maureen, I have also had to deal with this in both my shoulders, although luckily each one froze up at a different time, several years apart, so it was easier to deal with than what you are dealing with now. It was a very painful experience each time, so I am commiserating totally.

I went for Physical Therapy both times and it was truly a godsend! It wasn't only the exercises, but also the hot and cold compresses and a few other goodies that the PT people can offer. I STRONGLY urge you to get thee to PT -- ASAP. It will take a little while to get the motion back (and is not the most comfortable thing to have to go through) but you will be sooooo much better for it!

I still do most of the exercises I learned through PT and thankfully have not had any flare-ups since my PT.

Good luck with your recovery. I hope it is a quick and easy one.

[VictoriaL]

Maureen, I had a similar experience to Leslie's. My right shoulder froze then, five years later, the left one did. Each time, it was a fall (which I barely remembered) which was the trigger.

For my right shoulder, we had health care thru the local chamber of commerce so I went to as much PT as I could get and it helped a lot.

For the left, our healthcare raised their premiums to us (by over 60%!) so we switched to a high-deductible plan. In order to save money (I'm a cheapskate at heart), I pulled my old exercise sheets from the first frozen shoulder and did my own PT. The result-- it was almost a full year before I had my range of motion returned (vs 4 months with PT).

Obviously, I recommend taking the physical therapy!

I can't imagine having this problem in both shoulders at once! Both times I had to put my arm in a sling just to keep myself from doing extraordinarily stupid things like running into doorframes or unthinkingly reaching down for something I dropped (which would then make me crumple to the floor in pain).

Since my shoulders have both been "good" I have been doing upper body exercises, three times a week, in hopes to never have this again. But, as one post mentioned, having it once means you're susceptible again. Grrrr.

I hope that yours is a very mild episode and that it is healed quickly. :)

one more comment:

mackand me said
"all-time favorite PT modality (is that the right word): the one that kind of zaps your muscles and makes them tense and relax."

Now that's a wonderful thing, isn't it? Amazing what a little electricity can do... it was stupid of me to save a few hundred bucks and hurt for so much longer than I should have!

[kima]

Thanks guys. You have convinced me to go to a PT.
(btw we have to pay about $35.00 a visit).

Hi Lisa- other than the shoulders I am great. :) Hope all is well with you.

[JulieM]

I had this in my right shoulder after having abdominal surgery two and a half years ago. Using my right arm (avoiding the IV in my left hand), to pull myself out of the hospital bed a zillion times I think stressed it. And then once I was home, I simply reached overhead for something and wham! the pain followed by the frozen shoulder.

What I did was invest in the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook and a Theracane and it helped a lot, plus I did a lot of self massage and gentle stretching. But even after all that it had to run its course through the frozen and thawing stages, although instead of taking a year which is typical I'm told, I was well in about 8 months.

If I had it in both arms I'd have to seriously consider professional help. It's no fun at all. And if I would accidentally wave my arm at something such as a mosquito without thinking, the pain would almost put me on my knees. Plus it was hard to get that arm comfortable for sleeping.

I have a neighbor that went the physical therapy route and she raved about it. You have my sympathies and best wishes for a quick recovery!

[DmOrtega]

It sounds like some physical therapy has helped many people. If that is true, I'd definately try yoga. Yoga is easy on the joints and over time can reverse many muscle issues. Sounds frustrating but give yoga a try.

[kima]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I saw a Physio today and she confirmed I have frozen shoulder in both arms with the left being far worse. I had it in the right arm about a year ago and she says I overdid it and returned to full exercies way too soon.
She did some easy mobility exercises and gave me some to do at home. I will see her again in a week.
I thought perhaps I could just exercise my arms through the pain (I was a former athlete and exercising through pain is what I did) but she said absolutely not. The adhesions need to heal and it will go much faster if I just do the exercises she prescribes.
I think I will go for a massage too -just cause! :)
So I am very frustrating as I am going to lose a lot of the strength I have gained over the past two years. She said that will be the case but once i am fully healed I can start on a stregth program.

I am tired of the pain and discomfort so I am going to try and be patient.
I will miss my fav gym classes.....:(
Anyway I hope you all remain healthy.Thanks for listening and sympathizing.