The term frozen shoulder may have you picturing an icy cold shoulder joint. But unfortunately, frozen shoulder is actually a serious diagnosis that results in significant limitations to your shoulder mobility.
Let’s dive into to better understand what frozen shoulder really is and what contributes to its development.
What is frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder (also known as adhesive capsulitis) is a diagnostic term used to describe tightening of the capsule around your shoulder. The capsule is a ligamentous tissue that surrounds the entire shoulder joint.
When you have frozen shoulder, this capsule gets adhesions that limit the mobility in your shoulder and make it so that you cannot move your shoulder through functional ranges of motion.
What are the symptoms of frozen shoulder?
The symptoms of frozen shoulder can vary. If you are in the early stages of frozen shoulder, you may have significant pain in your shoulder joint with some mobility deficits.
However, in its later stages, you may not have pain at all, but your shoulder will feel very stiff any time you go to move it.
What causes frozen shoulder?
Science doesn’t always know what exactly causes frozen shoulder to occur, but we have a few theories.
If you have diabetes, you are at a greater risk for developing frozen shoulder as there is some thought that increased blood sugars results in greater development of adhesions in the shoulder capsule.
Frozen shoulder can also happen as a result of a trauma and seems to be more common in females than males.
Potential Diagnoses
If you are diagnosed with frozen shoulder, you may also hear your doctor call it adhesive capsulitis. Keep in mind these terms are interchangeable.
Frozen shoulder can occur spontaneously, but is often associated with one of the following:
- Traumatic injury to the shoulder
- Diabetes
- Rotator cuff injury
- Stroke
Did you know?
Did you know that the average time it takes to heal from frozen shoulder is 1-3 years?
While many treatments can reduce your discomfort and help to restore the mobility in your shoulder along your healing journey, time is one of the best medicines for frozen shoulder.
So if you have been diagnosed with frozen shoulder and you are feeling frustrated by your lack of shoulder mobility, don’t give up hope and stay patient!
The vast majority of individuals who experience frozen shoulder will regain full motion eventually, but you have to remember that time is your friend in this case.
