Renowned Physio Brian Schiff has recently completed his study on effective frozen shoulder exercises and written a comprehensive report, called the “Frozen Shoulder Therapy Guide”

The report is the result of Brian working with hundreds of sufferers over  a 14 year period.The exercise routines included  are designed to reduce inflamation and cure the problem in a short period without having to pay thousands of dollars on injections or surgery !!

Brian has kindly provided a sample page from the report which can be accessed here

Brian is a NSCA certified strength & conditioning specialist, he has been a licensed physical therapist since 1996, working primarily in sports medicine clinics.

Here are a few sneak peeks of what’s inside Brians Report:

- How to steadily reduce your pain levels until your shoulder is completely pain free!

- Avoid risky and costly surgery, manipulations, or injections.

- Learn how to handle the different phases of a frozen shoulder to ensure the  lowest negative impact on your daily activities.

- Completely recover your frozen shoulder in the fastest, safest way possible – so you can get back to doing the things you love.

- Increase your range of motion in all directions

- Allow you to sleep at night without pain again

- Avoid having to spend $1000′s on physical therapy, and treat your shoulder safely and effectively in the comfort of your own home.

Be sure to check out Brian’s “Frozen Shoulder Therapy Guide” , and come back here to post your comments about it. I’d love to hear your feedback on his report.

Best of Luck,

Frozen shoulder , which the medical profession refer to as adhesive capsulitis, or occasionally, bursitis or tendonitis, affects about 3% of the general population, the greater proportion being women and most are 40 to 60 years old. It is extremely uncommon amongst young people, but there is a higher occurrence for those people with diabetes. The medical term of adhesive capsulitis describes the actual condition, adhesive meaning sticky, and capsulitis meaning inflammation of the joint capsule.

A frozen shoulder results is a thickening and swelling of the flexible tissue that surrounds the joint (the capsule). The joint becomes inflamed and causes scar tissue to form inside the shoulder capsule.  This leaves less room for the humerus (arm bone) to move, hence restricting the movement of the joint. Often a shoulder will hurt when it begins to freeze and because pain discourages movement, further development of adhesions that restrict movement will occur unless the joint continues to move full range in all directions.

Frozen shoulder is not the same as arthritis, and no other joints are usually affected. It could be due to the formation of scar tissue, which inhibits movement or it could be as a result of producing less synovial fluid in the joint, which may cause a lot of painful friction.

A properly planned program of frozen shoulder exercises is essential in recovering from a frozen shoulder

There may be no significant reason why a person develops frozen shoulder, however, in many cases the condition may develop because of an event such as surgery, illness or trauma. Several systemic conditions such as heart disease and Parkinson’s disease have also been associated with an increased risk for developing frozen shoulder.

There is no clear connection to arm activity or occupation. However, there are a few factors which increase the chances of developing frozen shoulder. It occurs much more often in people with diabetes, or other diseases such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Frozen shoulder can also develop after a shoulder has been immobilized for a period of time due to surgery, a fracture, or another injury. Keeping the arm and shoulder immobile for long periods of time may cause the shoulder capsule to tighten up from lack of use. Performing frozen shoulder exercises soon after injury or surgery is one measure that can prevent a frozen shoulder from occurring.

Symptoms

Movement of the shoulder is severely restricted and the patient usually suffers with constant pain which can also be affected by cold weather. The restricted movements can make even small tasks impossible. Certain movements or knocks can cause a sudden onset of extreme pain and cramping that can last several minutes.

In addition to difficulty with everyday tasks, people who suffer from a frozen shoulder usually have trouble sleeping for extended periods of time. This is due to the pain that becomes worse at night because of the restricted movement/positions. The condition can also lead to depression and problems in the neck and back. The symptoms are usually experienced in three separate stages over a period of months or even years.Proper frozen shoulder exercises performed correctly can alleviate symptoms

Stage1

The symptoms have a slow onset. The first stage is usually the pain, which stems from the shoulder joint and typically lasts for 2 to 9 months. Stiffness and a limitation in the movement of the arm gradually increase.

Stage2

The second stage, which usually lasts longer than the first stage, 4 to 12 months, shows a decline in the pain of the joint, however, the lack of mobility of the arm and the stiffness still occurs and may get more severe. Also, the shoulder muscle may start to waste slightly due to the lack of use.

Stage3

The third stage, which may occur up to a year after the initial symptoms shows, is the decline of the pain and an increase in movement of the arm and although full movement may not be regained it is still possible to perform many more tasks. However, without the correct frozen shoulder exercises the third stage may last anywhere from five months to three years.

Diagnosis

Consult a MD for a correct diagnosis if shoulder pain and restricted movement is a problem. The MD will carry out a physical examination and further tests may be required. Dense structures, such as bone, show up clearly on X-rays, and may highlight other problems, such as arthritis. Also magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound scans may be taken to provide further information about the soft tissues. However, these tests are usually only undertaken if the diagnosis is not clear and to exclude other causes of the symptoms. Starting frozen shoulder exercises immediately will help to prevent long-term stiffness and pain in the joint.

Physiotherapy, massage therapy and medication will also help improve the recovery. More than 90% of patients improve with relatively simple treatments to control pain and restore motion.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen reduce pain and swelling and are most effective when they are taken regularly. However, there are some side effects associated with NSAIDs which need to be explained by the doctor. Generally, sufferers of asthma, high blood pressure or kidney or heart problems should not take NSAIDs.

Cortisone can be injected directly into the shoulder joint which is an anti-inflammatory medicine. Cortisone injections can help to relieve pain and improve the movement in the shoulder. However, the injections cannot cure the condition and the symptoms will gradually return. Too many cortisone injections can also damage the shoulder and so the number of injections is limited.

In some cases a doctor may manipulate the shoulder by moving and stretching it under anaesthetic. Afterwards, physiotherapy and frozen shoulder exercises will help maintain mobility in the shoulder.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a type of physiotherapy that may help to ease the pain of frozen shoulder. It works by numbing the nerve endings in the spinal cord which control pain, so that it can no longer be felt. Treatment with TENS is usually given by a physiotherapist. Small electrical pads (electrodes) will be applied to the skin on the shoulder. These will deliver small pulses of electricity from the TENS machine. The physiotherapist is able to control the strength of the pulses and how long they last.

Frozen shoulder exercises are designed to improve the range of the shoulder movement and it is important to maintaining this range of movement by doing frozen shoulder exercises several times a day. Treatment for a frozen shoulder varies depending on the stage of the condition and the severity of the pain and stiffness. The aim of the treatment is to keep the joint as mobile and pain free as possible while the shoulder heals.

There are alternative remedies, such as acupuncture which may relieve or prevent the symptoms of a frozen shoulder. However, due to the lack of research there is no conclusive evidence on its effectiveness.

If, after several months the various treatments described above are not improving then surgery may be needed. This is rarely necessary and is a last resort.