| Has physiotherapy or other modalities helped anyone with frozen shoulder?
Posted: 5/21/2009 9:13:20 PM | I have a small rotator cuff tear and tendonitis in my shoulder. At first I went to the chiropractor for ultrasound treatments but they didn't help a lot. My range of motion in my shoulder isn't good. My doctor is giving me anti-inflammatories which is hard on the stomach.
I've been to physio therapy for the past month and I get ultrasound, a tens like machine with electrical impulses and some acupuncture. I've also been given exercises that I can do at home. I try to do all the exercises at least once or twice a day and my range of motion is getting better but I still cannot reach behind my back yet. I also had a massage today.
Unfortunately my medical coverage at work only covers $25.00 per visit for physio, chiropractor and massage therapy so I'm out of pocket on these treatments as well.
I will be going to a Sports Medicine doctor in a couple of months. I don't know how I got the problem. It started bugging me last fall and just got worse. I've had injuries to it years ago and maybe it's coming back to haunt me.
Has anyone else had this problem and what treatment worked best for you? Did you know the cause of your "frozen shoulder" or did it come on gradually like it did for me?
Have you had recent problems in an area you injured years ago?
If anyone knows of any natural herbs that might be helpful for swelling and pain, please let me know. Thanks. | |
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| Has physiotherapy or other modalities helped anyone with frozen shoulder?
Posted: 5/21/2009 9:32:50 PM | | Sounds like you're taking care of it - lucky you've got extended medical coverage! From what I've heard frozen shoulders can come on for no reason and cause huge pain for several months before easing up. Guided exercises will help with function, anything to help with pain is a good idea and patience, patience, patience til it fades off. | |
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| Has physiotherapy or other modalities helped anyone with frozen shoulder?
Posted: 5/21/2009 10:07:07 PM | Have you got frozen shoulder?
or a tear?
or tendonitis?
Or is someone diagnosing all three?
It's important to a degree to find out the proper diagnosis. For a tear, you don't want the same treatment as for frozen shoulder, or tendonitis...
The issue you likely have, causing the frozen shoulder is absence of tone and innervation of low fibre traps, and weak or absent response in external rotators. Many frozen shoulders are misdiagnosed because the patient just can't innervate the muscle to produce a movement, rather than an impingement. That being said, true impingement is frequently due to chronic anteriorisation in the shoulder girdle. You need to find out if you have a physical impingement, or a muscular imbalance. If it's physical, you need to take a different approach than if it's muscular.
In any event, ultimately you have to find someone who can teach you how to activate and strengthen your external rotators. I woulnd't be surprised to find your whole posture out of alignment. Rolfing, Hellerwork, ART, Graston, athletic therapy, yoga... these are the modalities I would point you toward. But also and MRI or other definitive diagnostic would help. | |
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| Has physiotherapy or other modalities helped anyone with frozen shoulder?
Posted: 5/21/2009 11:48:00 PM | Sometimes you don't even have to have an injury to get a frozen shoulder it comes on so gradually you don't realize what's happening. If you do have a tear in the rotator cuff along with tendonitis I would think you were holding your shoulder in a protective mode..all the electrical work is good to get the blood and circulation going in aiding in the healing process. I do find that being aggressive such as recieving regular treatments of massage (medical, therapeutic) with modalities of trigger point, PNF, and alternating with Bowen helps. I know when I suffered from a tear in my rhomboid ...acupuncture treatments with the moxie helped more than ultrasound & tens.
If money is an issue I would get the massages from a massage school that has a student clinic; acupuncture schools generally have a student clinic with 3-4yr students under the supervision of a licensed acupuncturist. | |
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