Physical Therapy for

Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)

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Shoulder

How Does It Feel?

  • Tight in the shoulder and surrounding muscles
  • Stiff in the shoulder joint and often worsens over time
  • Sharp pain in the shoulder with movement
  • Stabbing pain in the shoulder with movement
  • Dull pain in the shoulder often at rest
  • Aching in the shoulder joint
  • Throbbing in the shoulder joint

Signs & Symptoms

Inability to perform daily activities due to pain or stiffness

Difficulty reaching above head, behind the back, or across the chest

Gradually worsening shoulder pain and stiffness over the course of 3-12 months

Progressive loss of motion at the shoulder

Weakness in the shoulder or arm

Muscle spasms and pain around the neck and shoulder

Pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, or hand

Weakness in the shoulder, arms, or hand

Numbness or tingling in the shoulder, arms, or hand

Stiffness in the shoulder

Difficulty sleeping due to pain

Diagnosis

What We Do >>

We conduct a thorough examination including the head, neck, and arms. We determine the root cause of your symptoms to ensure that physical therapy treatment is the best option for you.

How We Do It >>

We examine posture, range of motion, strength, reflexes, sensation, soft tissue mobility, joint mobility, nerve mobility, and functional movements to create a custom treatment plan. We also take into account any imaging that you have had like X-Rays, MRI, CT scans, etc.

Frozen shoulder occurs most commonly in females over the age of 40.

Did you know?! If you have had frozen shoulder in one shoulder, you are at increased likelihood of having frozen shoulder in the opposite shoulder.

Did you know?! Frozen shoulder is more common after a traumatic incident. This incident does not always have to involve a severe injury but could include a fall, a car accident, or a traumatic emotional event.

Why We Do It >>

Frozen shoulder occurs in 3 phases…
Freezing (1-6 months): painful and loss of motion gradually worsens
Frozen (3-12 months): typically the most painful and motion becomes very limited
Thawing (5-18 months): motion and pain slowly improves

Frozen shoulder typically takes 6-18 months to fully resolve. Recent research has shown that physical therapy treatment can help regain motion and restore function in the affected shoulder earlier versus not having treatment at all.

Due to the duration of this diagnosis, we determine the frequency of sessions based on which stage of healing you are currently in (freezing, frozen, thawing). Treatment is very focused on hands-on stretching, joint mobilizations and a specific home exercise program that must be performed consistently to improve pain and motion.

Treatment Plan

We may use a combination of the following
techniques to help you get your life back:

  • Joint manipulation/mobilization to decrease pain and improve shoulder motion
  • Soft tissue mobilization to reduce muscle guarding and tension to allow you move easier with less pain
  • Dry Needling to reduce muscular pain and increase the health of muscle tissue in the shoulder and around the scapula
  • Neuromuscular retraining to teach your body how to move your shoulder complex in a better way
  • Mobility training to increase flexibility and range of motion in your chest, back, and shoulder blades
  • Strength training increase your rotator cuff, scapula, and overall shoulder strength
  • Endurance training to improve your capacity to do what you love without pain

What Should I Do Next?

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Schedule an initial examination
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Let us find the root cause of your pain
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Create a custom treatment plan for you
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Start living pain-free!

Eliminate Pain, Enjoy Your Life, B Your Best!

Want More Information?

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Schedule a complimentary consultation
(407) 698-5558
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