Frozen shoulder is a relatively common injury that can occur when repetitive stress affects the shoulder joint, which can occur when you over-train. It can also occur as a result of inflammation following a previous shoulder surgery or injury. Frozen shoulder is characterised by a build-up of scar tissue, and your shoulder joint is unlikely to heal without treatment. The resultant reduction in motion in your shoulder can make everyday activities such as exercising, cleaning and driving difficult. In addition to reduced shoulder mobility, frozen shoulder tends to cause localised, throbbing pain and some people will also experience pain radiating down their arm to their wrist. Treatment for frozen shoulder tends to involve painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, but drugs alone aren't always effective. If you'd prefer a drug-free treatment approach, or if you'd like to try a multi-faceted treatment approach, physiotherapy can be a safe and effective option. Read on to learn about two ways a physiotherapist can treat frozen shoulder.
Targeted Exercises
In order to prevent further scar tissue from developing along the shoulder joint and to restore your range of movement, loosening your shoulder is imperative. However, the wrong type of exercise or trying to force a wider range of movement than your shoulder is capable of can make your symptoms worse and hinder your recovery. Your physiotherapist will work with you to design a program of gentle yet targeted exercises to gradually increase the range of motion in your shoulder. Exercising the shoulder will also promote increased blood flow to the area, which can help with healing by delivering oxygen and nutrients from your blood to the muscle tissue.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) can allow you to experience temporary pain relief without medication. This can be useful if you have a special event to attend during recovery or are finding it a struggle to get through your day due to constant pain. Experiencing some relief from pain can also help you to ensure you meet your targeted exercise goals, as you're more likely to complete your exercises when you're not struggling with pain. TENS uses low-voltage electrical currents to prevent pain signals generated by the nerves in your shoulder from being transmitted to your brain. Pain relief can last for a couple of hours after each TENS session, and your physiotherapist can provide you with a portable TENS machine and show you how to use it.
If you'd like to learn more about how a physiotherapist can treat frozen shoulder, contact your local clinic to book an initial appointment.
When you think about arthritis, you automatically assume it is affecting a person in the older age bracket. Unfortunately, juveniles can also suffer from this issue. When I found out my child had juvenile arthritis, I was stunned. So, I have created this blog to talk about arthritis and how to make the person's life more bearable after diagnosis. Changes to diet and exercise are two small ways you can reduce the impact of arthritis, so I want to share the tips I have found that has changed my child's life for the better. Don't let an unusual condition get your child down; make changes so they can live a full and pain-free life.