Frozen shoulder is also known as adhesive capsulitis. It usually occurs when the shoulder becomes inflamed and the patient’s movement becomes restricted. There are ligaments that attach to the shoulder bones. When this area becomes inflamed, the bones are not able to move freely in the joint. If you suspect that you may have frozen shoulder, medical treatment may be something that you should look into.

The cause of frozen shoulder is not well known. It can occur as a result of an injury or it can come for absolutely no reason at all. Persons who have a history of diabetes or heart disease seem to be much more prone to this condition…

Frozen shoulder usually starts with pain. In turn, the patient does not want to move the arm. When this happens, stiffness usually sets in and the pain becomes worse. The last phase of this is called thawing – this is when the patient’s movement gradually returns and is eventually able to use the arm again.

When diagnosing frozen shoulder, medical history is helpful to the doctors to know what course of treatment to pursue. The doctor will often order x-rays to diagnose the problem.

If it is determined that you have frozen shoulder, medical treatment will include physical therapy, and anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen. If the pain still persists, the doctor may order an injection of cortisone to be given.

If physical therapy does not handle the problem with frozen shoulder, medical treatment could include surgery. The doctor will perform the surgery arthroscopically to remove the scar tissue and to manipulate the shoulder. This is often an effective treatment, since the patient will be under anesthesia and the shoulder can be manipulated without the patient feeling pain. Once the surgery is complete, it is followed by physical therapy.

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A rotator cuff MRI or magnetic resonance anthography determines the extent of tear. There are three methods of rotator cuff tear surgery: open surgery, mini-open method, and arthroscopic surgery. Open surgery is an old method whereas mini-open as well as arthroscopic surgery are newer methods of surgery. ..

The patient is administered general anesthesia or local anesthesia before surgery is done. The open surgery is suitable for long rotator cuff tears. A big incision usually measuring 6-10 centimeters is done in the shoulder muscles to reach the tendon. The tendon is repaired and the incision is stitched. This procedure involves considerable pain.

In the mini-open method a small incision is made and a camera is used to view the torn tendon. Repair is carried out by viewing the torn tendon on a television monitor. In the arthroscopic method many small incisions are made and the camera is inserted through them to carry out repair. The last two methods of rotator cuff tear surgery are less invasive and hence are being preferred frequently.

Rotator cuff tear surgery is followed by complete rest of a few weeks when the shoulder may be put in a sling. All shoulder and arm related activities will be restricted during this period. After a week or two the doctor will advise for physiotherapy sessions.

Initially the session will be very gentle with light arm and shoulder movements. After four-six weeks the intensity of physiotherapy may increase a little. After another few weeks the patient will be encouraged to do a number of exercises and lift light weights. The entire recovery process may take four-six months after rotator cuff tear surgery.

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There are many tests to determine the status of the rotator cuff impingement. X-ray, ultra sound, magnetic resonance imaging or MRI, and magnetic resonance anthography are some of the diagnostic tests carried out to determine the presence or absence of impingement of the rotator cuff. Rotator cuff MRI test is believed to be a conclusive test to determine the status of the rotator cuff tendon impingement…

Individually, none of the above mentioned tests can guarantee accuracy. But a combination of two or more of these tests is effective in determining the extent of rotator cuff impingement. Rotator cuff MRI is supposed to be the best among these tests and has a set of advantages.

This is a painless procedure and requires no needles. Rotator cuff MRI uses magnetic waves to show pictures of the shoulder and detect most full thickness tears. MRI scans show tendons as well as bones. This test is required before surgery for curing rotator cuff impingement. But not all rotator cuff MRIs lead to surgery.

Rotator cuff MRI however can miss in detecting small tears. It may not be able to distinguish between partially torn tendon and degenerative tendon. Rotator cuff MRI may not be able to detect partial thickness reliably.

Patients that have a cardiac pacemaker, ferromagnetic foreign bodies (particularly in the orbit), and some cochlear implants are not advised to go for Rotator cuff MRI. For them it is contra indicated. This procedure can be costly also. Patients that are claustrophobic in high-field-strength MRI scanners will have to be put in open MRI scanners. A mild sedative will have to be administered to calm them before the test.

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Exercises for rotator cuff are normally used in conjunction with the R.I.C.E. treatment. R.I.C.E. is rest, ice, compression and elevation. Each of these different treatments is used to reduce the swelling and inflammation that may be occurring due to the injury and as a result of the physical therapy…

Exercises for rotator cuff are the first choice for treatment of rotator cuff injuries. Surgery is usually only recommended in cases where the physical therapy has been ineffective.

Your doctor will normally recommend that you avoid any type of exercise or movement that will require you to turn or reach backwards with the injured arm, or which will stretch the shoulder extensively. Exercises for rotator cuff will start out with gentle stretching that is closely monitored by a physical therapist. Only after some range of motion is restored can more strenuous exercises be started. Extensive physical therapy must be undertaken before strengthening exercises will be added to the daily workout program.

Using exercises for rotator cuff rehabilitation is very effective, but must be a slow process for the proper healing to take place. This is especially true if the physical therapy is post-surgical. Physical therapy is always used after rotator cuff surgery to help in the rehabilitation of the shoulder muscles. While range of motion may not be 100% restored, physical therapy will go a long way towards maximizing the amount of use that is regained in that arm and shoulder. This physical therapy must always be closey watched over by the physician or physical therapist.

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Any frozen shoulder physical therapy program you choose should be done consistently, and that means every day for at least three to four weeks. After three to four weeks, you should be seeing some kind of improvement in the motion in your arm. If you are not, then you need to see your doctor again. If you are seeing an improvement in your range of motion then your physical therapist may allow you to increase the intensity of your workout. ..

Remember that your shoulder will need to get worse before it will get better. This means that when you first start exercising your shoulder, you will likely irritate it and make it more sore than when you started and it will take some time for that soreness to improve.

A frozen shoulder physical therapy program should be fully accredited and recommended by a physician or licensed physical therapist. This will give you the assurance that it is legitimate. Avoid any program that tells you that you can cure your shoulder problem quickly. Frozen shoulder is a serious condition that will take you anywhere from several weeks to several months to recover from. The frozen shoulder physical therapy program should not be designed simply to relieve pain. It should be focused on restoring a full range of motion to the affected arm.

The biggest thing to know when searching for a frozen shoulder physical therapy program is that the program should work on slow small steps towards restoring your mobility in your arm.

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Frozen shoulder often occurs for no reason whatsoever. It is most often seen in 40-60 year olds and most often in women. There are other risk factors that are associated with frozen shoulder.

• Persons with diabetes or a thyroid condition seem to be more susceptible.
• Persons with heart disease and Parkinsons are also more susceptible.

When a person has frozen shoulder, the motion becomes restricted in the shoulder joint. Many times this comes from scar tissue that has formed (also called adhesions). An injury can trigger this problem, especially when the shoulder is immobilized. The shoulder becomes stiff and painful.

You cannot cure frozen shoulder. Treatments for frozen shoulder are -

• Physical therapy – This is usually range of motion exercises to loosen up the shoulder area. This can also include ultrasound treatments, electrical stimulation and ice packs.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs – to relieve the pain and inflammation. Tylenol and Ibuprofen are good examples.
• Heat and cold are often applied to affected area.
• Corticosteroids – These are anti-inflammatory hormones that are given in the form of an injection.
• Surgery – When all of the above treatments don’t work, surgery becomes an option. This is done arthroscopically to remove scar tissue and adhesions.
• Shoulder manipulation is usually done under a general anesthetic. This allows the shoulder to be manipulated while the patient is anesthetized.
• Electrical stimulation – A TENS unit is used to relieve pain. This unit is placed on the affected area. It is believed that tiny electrical currents interrupt the nerve endings and block pain.

If you are looking to cure frozen shoulder, you should be aware that there is no cure but the treatments many times are effective in relieving pain for long periods of time.

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If rotator cuff exercises do not relieve your symptoms, your physician may recommend shoulder surgery to correct the problem. Rotator cuff exercises are also an integral part of post-surgical rehabilitation..

Something that you should remember during your rehabilitation period is that you need to avoid reaching behind you or doing any kind of activity that will pull on your shoulder. You must be very careful when starting your rehabilitation period. You must begin very slow and then gradually increase the intensity of your exercises. You should only return to full activity levels upon the advice of your physician. Returning sooner risks a re-injury of the shoulder muscles.

Some rotator cuff exercises that may help you to regain a full range of motion and strength are stretches that are designed to restore full flexibility and range of motion and routines that are designed to restore strength and stability to the shoulder. It is important to note that you should immediately cease any and all exercises that cause you pain in your shoulder.

One thing to remember as you rehabilitate your shoulder is that the strengthening and stretching exercises that you are learning now will be important for the rest of your life. Once a rotator cuff has been injured, the chances for re-injury are very high if the proper precautions are not taken prior to any form of physical activity. The muscles in the shoulder should be properly stretched every day and kept flexible and strong so that you will minimize your chances of injuring your shoulder again

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Anyone who is suffering from rotator cuff inflammation goes through a recurrent pattern of injury. Inflammation causes injury to the shoulder, then follows the healing process which gives pain-free period to the patient and this is followed by re-injury. With the continuous movement of the cycle, the pain-free period becomes less effective and the patients start experiencing more pain…

Therefore, if one is experiencing a continual shoulder pain, than it’s quite possible that they are suffering from rotator cuff injury. If it’s a severe case of injury, than very often surgery as a medical treatment is recommended. But many times some simple physical therapy also proves to be an effective alternative of going through painful procedure of surgery.

The inflammation or any other type of injury in rotator cuff is mainly caused due to physical excursions. An injury due to fall or overhead movement causes stressful motions, which leads to injury. If you are experiencing any such pain, consult your doctor. He/she would recommend whether you require a surgery or perhaps physical therapy would be sufficient.

According to some anatomists, the rotator cuff does not play a key role. They believe that the m. biceps brachii is a prime factor that keeps the bones together, whereas, rotator cuff just plays a minor role. But by looking at its importance, the role of rotator cuff can’t be ignored.

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