3 silly reasons why frozen shoulder doesn’t heal - And since they are simple, you'll kick yourself. They are also easy to avoid too! So it's time to get our shoulders (and quality of life) back!
We need our shoulder. It's essential for daily (quality) life. Without it, putting our underpants on, washing our face, or giving someone a hug is pretty much impossible. Try NOT using your shoulder for 10 minutes, and you'll realise how fortunate we are to have shoulders.
Frozen Shoulder is a very common diagnosis of shoulder pain. Many people experience a painful arc when moving the shoulder in specific movements or angles, similar to shoulder impingement or tendonitis syndromes, or rotator cuff strain and tears.
I was recently asked if I can help with frozen shoulder conditions. Simply put, we are certainly capable to treat shoulder injuries including frozen shoulder. How many treatment sessions is required will vary from person to person. Some of our clients may feel relief within 2 weeks, while others take 2-3 months. Some even longer, depending on the cause, severity and their habits.
So what makes it heal faster? Or What stops our shoulder pain from getting better? Here's 3 Silly Simple Reasons why frozen shoulder pain doesn't get better.
#1 - Wrong diagnosis:
Is is a frozen shoulder? Or is it a tendonitis? or Impingement? Or a joint misalignment? Shoulder or AC joint sprain? Or… ?
If you’ve done your research on google, you would find that REAL frozen shoulder goes through various stages, and can take a year or more to get better (http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/tc/frozen-shoulder-topic-overview , http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/frozen-shoulder/basics/treatment/con-20022510. Without treatment some say it can take several years to get better (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166186.php?page=2, http://www.healthline.com/health/frozen-shoulder#Diagnosis5)
But we need to find out if it really is a frozen shoulder or not? Which stage of the process are you in? Or is the shoulder pain caused by poor bio-mechanics, that impinges on the rotator cuff tendon?
#2 - Wrong Treatment :
If you get the diagnosis wrong, then the treatment is going to be wrong. Remember that the human body is like a car: it’s made of many parts. When a car breaks down is it the engine? There are many things that could have gone wrong and caused the car to break down - not just the engine. If you start fixing the engine even though that's not the problem, then you’ll waste time, money and effort doing the wrong treatment.
(Also, the treatment should address the entire body. Not just that single part, but how that part moves, and interacts with adjacent areas. Too many people focus on tight muscles, or weak muscles. That's only one factor. What about the other factors? What about healing? Strength is for stabilising and performance, not healing).
#3 - No plan:
Just like every objective / goal needs a plan, the same goes for treatment. Strategy is important. If you just try a bit of this and a bit of that, and follow something you read on google or Facebook, and never stick to a strategy, then don’t expect to get better. Instead, make a plan, follow it faithfully, and stick to it no matter what. Also make sure you schedule in a review to map progress and allow adaptation where necessary. If you found the right diagnosis, and started the right treatment, then the right plan will enable you to get the outcome you desire.
If you need any help with the diagnosis, the treatment or the strategy, just ask. I'm always happy to help. Good Luck!