Do You Have Frozen Shoulder Syndrome? How Physical Therapy Can Help

Adhesive capsulitis, or frozen shoulder, is a condition where the tissue of the shoulder capsule thickens. If you have this problem, you may experience shoulder pain, joint stiffness, and a decreased range of motion. Take a look at why you might be suffering from frozen shoulder and how physical therapy with a chiropractor can help.

What Causes It?

People can often develop this condition after shoulder surgery or after their shoulder's been immobilized for a long period of time—like if their arm has been in a cast after an injury. However, some people, like diabetics, can be prone to frozen shoulder simply because of how their condition affects collagen production in the shoulder.

How Can You Treat It?

Mild cases of frozen shoulder may resolve on their own with rest; but, there are a number of ways to treat the condition. For instance, you could have a joint distension, a procedure where sterile water is injected into the joint capsule to stretch the tissue and restore range of motion. You could also undergo a shoulder manipulation. During this procedure, your doctor would stretch your shoulder to loosen tight tissue; and since you'd be under general anesthetic, you won't feel any pain from the stretch. Frozen shoulder can also be treated with corticosteroid shots.

If you want a less invasive route, you should give physical therapy a try.

How Can a Chiropractor Help?

Physical therapy at a chiropractor's office may involve adjustments, strengthening exercises, and stretching. In fact, a blog post from Harvard Medical school says that stretching is the cornerstone of treating frozen shoulder.

During physical therapy, a chiropractor can help you stretch in-office and show you stretches to do at home. You'll need to warm up your shoulder beforehand—like with a heating pad, so that you don't strain yourself during stretches.

One way a chiropractor can help you stretch is with osteopathy—a medical practice that focuses on the manipulation and massage of joints and muscles. One study shows that chiropractic osteopathy had favorable outcomes for patients. For instance, your chiropractor could use the Niel-Asher technique, which involves applied pressure and stretches to key points of your shoulder.

Another study shows that chiropractors were able to treat frozen shoulder syndrome with One-to-Zero (OTZ) tension adjustments. The goal of these adjustments is to resolve neurological weaknesses and misaligned vertebrae first, which should help to restore proper function to the shoulder.

Reach out to your chiropractor for more information on physical therapy and adjustments that can help your condition.