Frozen Shoulder Treatment and Exercise Blog

Eliminating frozen shoulder is a complex endeavor and it will take a complete, well planned system to have true success. A question that is commonly asked by patients that are suffering from frozen shoulder is; “How fast can I get rid of my frozen shoulder?” There are many factors that influence just how fast success can be achieved. For one, it depends on how long the patient has had the problem as well as which areas of the shoulder are affected. However, with all of that said, a good program can speed up the recovery.

Frozen shoulder can actually be treated successfully or eliminated faster than many people think. For some, it can take less than a month if the patient is committed to following a progressive and aggressive program, completing all of the exercises and being consistent with their program. For others, it may take a little longer…again, depending on how bad the specific issues are and how long they have had the symptoms. It is important to realize that many people have been in treatment for their frozen shoulder for years and some have never found a successful treatment plan and live with the limitations of this problem for the rest of their lives.

While one to three months is much better than a year and always better than a lifetime, most people are anxious to get rid of their frozen shoulder faster. While I believe that in many people a frozen shoulder “cure” can be fast, it is very important to understand that frozen shoulder is an extremely complex issue and speeding up the rate of a full recovery can only happen if there is a solid plan followed. Many people will start to see some symptoms go away rather quickly, and while this is a good thing, it is important not to stop the plan or program at this point. Some people have made the mistake of stopping their treatment after their shoulder starts to feel better, thinking that they are on the road to a full recovery. However, to have real, long-term success the person must continue and finish the program in its entirety.

When someone is diagnosed with frozen shoulder, one of the first things that goes through their mind is, “How did this happen anyway?” While every case is different and there are many causes for frozen shoulder, there are some common reasons that may lead to the development of this debilitating issue.

The main reason behind the development of frozen shoulder in most people is lack of movement. Usually, there is an injury or some kind of pain in or around the shoulder. As a protective measure, the person will stop using the arm and shoulder. Over time, this lack of movement causes stiffness, knots, adhesions in the joint and more pain. Soon, this will lead to a non-functioning shoulder and the person is classified with frozen shoulder syndrome. Although not everyone that has their shoulder immobilized will develop frozen shoulder, lack of movement is the common denominator.

Another issue that can cause a frozen shoulder to develop is certain muscles or muscle groups literally “turning off” and not working anymore. This can occur from injury and/or pain. When muscles do not work as they should, movement and function are compromised. Over time, the person looses the ability to move the shoulder through ranges of motion and more pain develops.

It should be obvious that many cases of frozen shoulder usually start off as something else, such as an injury and/or pain. This can lead the person to stop moving the shoulder or the shoulder just not working as it should. Many people think that they more “rest” they give the shoulder and arm, the better. Over time the person looses this waiting game and they find out that the longer they keep their arm and shoulder immobile the worse it actually can get. Finding a balance between rest and therapy is the key to preventing this from occurring. It is always advisable to seek out a physician or expert when you have an issue.

Many people erroneously think that only stretching will be enough to cure their frozen shoulder. While stretching is a very important aspect of any good frozen shoulder elimination program, it is only one component and true success is only derived when you combine stretching with other essential aspects.

Stretching is only part of the answer for eliminating frozen shoulder, but not the whole answer. It is important to realize that frozen shoulder is a very complex problem and there are many different things going on in and around your shoulder joint if you are suffering from frozen shoulder.

Besides stretching, proper strengthening of the shoulder joint and surrounding muscles is essential. While stretching will help increase range of motion of certain muscles and muscle groups, strengthening will enable the joint to move further through the range of motion, keeping the shoulder area strong and free of stiffness. Proper strengthening helps you to achieve greater range of motion in all directions because when the muscles and muscle groups are active and working properly, they will better be able to pull the arm through various directions and planes.

Another component that needs to be in every frozen shoulder elimination program, is quality soft-tissue work. The soft tissue consists of the muscles, tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue that is found in and around the joint. In people with frozen shoulder, this soft-tissue will shorten, form adhesions, knots and sticky scar tissues

Many people that are afflicted with a frozen shoulder wonder if frozen shoulder can be prevented, or if they could have done anything to prevent it from occurring. While every case is different, most cases of frozen shoulder can be prevented from happening in the first place. There are some things that can be done when symptoms arise.

Usually people have some kind of shoulder or upper extremity injury that starts them on the road to experiencing frozen shoulder. Whether it is a rotator cuff problem, or a minor injury that occurs from exercising, frozen shoulder can develop pretty quickly if the right measures are not taken from the beginning.

For one, if someone starts to experience shoulder issues it is vital that they have their shoulder checked out by a physician immediately to ensure that the proper course of action is being followed. Once the diagnosis and treatment is established, the patient must ensure that he or she is maintaining the essential components of function that are necessary for healing and more so important for preventing frozen shoulder.

One thing that a person can do is keep your shoulder strong by doing some type of resistance training in form of weights, resistance machines, heavy bends or just normal range of motion activities that help keep the muscles surrounding your shoulder strong. It is important that you do the right exercises through the right range of motions to keep your shoulders strong and moving the correct way as well.

The second thing that you can do to prevent Frozen Shoulder is to follow a good and very specific stretching routine. It is not enough just to do one or two stretches, but you have to do stretches through out the week through certain range of motion to keep your shoulders limber and moving the right way.

With the many different treatment options, programs and advice that are out there for dealing with frozen shoulder, coupled with the fact that many people never have true success in getting rid of their frozen shoulder, the question must be asked; “How successful is frozen shoulder treatment?”

Frozen shoulder elimination treatments can be successful if the program that is being followed is a solid program that includes all of the essential components. Strength training, stretching, soft-tissue work and range of motion exercises, all need to be included in a good plan. Further, there needs to be a 100% commitment from the patient to the program. Consistency and hard work is essential for success.

Many people fall into the trap of only working on one or two aspects of the problem. For example, some people think that if they just stretch the muscles in and around the shoulder that this will be enough to get rid of their frozen shoulder. Although stretching always needs to be in the program, it is only one part of the puzzle. By working on all of the issues, such as getting rid of soft-tissue restrictions, strengthening the muscles that surround the shoulder and including range of motion exercises in all directions, a person will be much more successful in treating their frozen shoulder.

Frozen shoulder does not have to be a permanent issue for people. People that have found a complete program that includes the aspects that are mentioned above, and are consistent with their therapy are ultimately successful in treating their frozen shoulder. Most of the success depends on consistency and commitment to a good program. Frozen shoulder can be treated successfully and kept away forever like this.

Many people have encountered bad programs, or limited success with therapy and have not been successful with their frozen shoulder. For the people that have found complete programs and have been consistent, success is almost always certain.