Frozen Shoulder

What Is Frozen Shoulder?

Adhesive capsulitis, or more commonly known as simply a frozen shoulder is the result of chronic inflammation resulting in scar tissue that prevents the shoulder from its full mobility.

Surrounding the glenohumeral or shoulder joint is the thick ligamentous capsule.

When the capsule is inflamed over a period of time it becomes stiff and thick and the range of motions is decreased.

Because the shoulder is the most mobile of all the joints, even a brief duration of immobility can cause either temporary or permanent frozen shoulder.

Treatment of frozen shoulders often begin with treating the cause, reducing the inflammation, repairing any torn ligaments or tendons, either with surgical intervention or injections.

Once the shoulder inflammation is controlled physical therapy and other exercises can often help resolve this condition over a period of one or two years.

A more rapid way of improving the range of motion involves a procedure called manipulation under anesthesia.

This is a process where the patient is sedated and the pain is controlled, the muscles are completely relaxed and the surgeon will take the shoulder through its full range of motion forcefully but gently overcoming the resistant areas.

This process is often done over a period of several days with physical therapy interspersed in between.