Up to 5% of the population is affected by a frozen shoulder at least once.

If you're one of the many people who suffer from frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis or shoulder contracture, you know how debilitating it can be. Characterized by stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint, frozen shoulder can make performing daily tasks or participating in your favorite activities extremely difficult. Until this painful condition is treated, it is likely to persist and even worsen over time.

There is no need to be alarmed though, we have helped countless patients with frozen shoulder and we were actually mentioned by a pastor that we treated in one of his services. (There’s a video of it at the end of the blog)

Major recovery is actually quite common within chiropractic care, a study done in 2012 by the National center for biotechnology information reviewed the case files of 20 males and 30 female patients with frozen shoulder who underwent chiropractic treatment. Of the 50 cases: All but one experienced at least a 75% improvement and in 16 cases the frozen shoulder was resolved completely.

Chiropractic care not only reduces your pain in the short term, but it also helps to heal your shoulder so that you can regain full mobility. The corrective solutions offered by our chiropractors may even keep the condition from returning in the future. We would love to help you get back to the activities and lifestyle you once enjoyed pain-free.

What is frozen shoulder?

Frozen shoulder is caused when the tissue surrounding your shoulder joint thickens, shrinks, and tightens. This makes it difficult for your shoulder to move in a full range of motion and causes pain.

Onset is most commonly seen in people between the ages of 40-60 but can also occur in younger individuals.The condition usually develops gradually over time, starting with pain that increases as you attempt certain movements and eventually causes your shoulder to become "frozen" - unable to move in certain directions without pain.

Now that we understand what frozen shoulder is, let’s talk about the symptoms that help us identify it.

What are the 3 most common symptoms of frozen shoulder?

(If you have these symptoms, it is very likely we are able to help!)

1. Limited range of motion in the shoulder joint

The most common symptom of frozen shoulder is a decrease in the range of motion you can achieve when moving your arm or shoulder. It may become challenging to move your arm above or behind your head as the pain increases. This can make it difficult to perform daily tasks such as reaching for an object or putting on a shirt. Frozen shoulder can also cause your shoulder to become “stuck” in a certain position, making it difficult to move at all.

2. Persistent pain in the shoulder, which may worsen at night

Pain caused by frozen shoulder depends on the intensity of your condition. The discomfort usually worsens when you attempt to move your shoulder in any direction, but frozen shoulder can cause constant pain even when the shoulder is still. When severe, pain can make simple tasks such as brushing your hair or tying your shoes difficult, if not impossible.

Many people who suffer from frozen shoulder also experience pain at night. It's no surprise that frozen shoulder often leads to night pain since staying in one position for too long can make the shoulder area stiff and sore. This pain may be severe enough to stop you from sleeping well. To make things worse, sleeping on the affected shoulder can increase swelling and make things significantly worse the next day.

3. Stiffness in the shoulder joint

When you have a frozen shoulder, the inflammation can cause the muscles and tendons to become tight, making it difficult or painful to move your arm. The decreased range of motion caused by stiffness leads to less flexibility and more pain.

A lot of times patients say that the shoulder pain started very gradually, and they even struggle to think of what may have caused adhesive capsulitis.

The pastor who shared his story of care (video at the end) did not have this problem.

What causes frozen shoulder?

There are many causes of frozen shoulder, some of the more common causes are:

• Injury to the shoulder joint

An injury to the shoulder can cause the joint and tissues to become inflamed, leading to a frozen shoulder. This injury may be from a direct blow to the shoulder, a fall, or even an auto accident.

• Poor posture

Poor posture can contribute to frozen shoulder because it can cause the shoulder and joint to become misaligned. When this occurs, it can lead to restricted movement in the shoulder and a decrease in flexibility.

• Surgery on the shoulder joint

When you have surgery on your shoulder, the tissues surrounding the area become inflamed. This can cause your shoulder to become stiff and immobile. To avoid post-surgery frozen shoulder, it's important to keep your arm and shoulder moving as much as possible and to take steps to reduce inflammation.

• Age-related degenerative conditions

As people age, their joints can become less flexible and more prone to injury. This can lead to a frozen shoulder, as the joint thickens, shrinks, and tightens, making it more difficult to move in certain directions. Frozen shoulder is common in individuals over the age of 60.

• Repetitive use of the arm or shoulder

Repeating the same motions over and over again can cause tissues to become inflamed, leading to frozen shoulder. This is commonly seen in sports or manual labor where individuals use the same arm and shoulder positions for an extended period of time.

Are you frequently participating in activities that could lead to developing frozen shoulder? If so, our Sacramento Chiropractic office can help. We will assess your current situation and develop a personalized plan to prevent and treat frozen shoulder symptoms caused by your daily habits

There is no surefire way to prevent frozen shoulder, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. Below are the 5 practices .

Top 5 practices to prevent frozen shoulder

Maintain good posture

Poor posture can lead to misalignment in the shoulder joint, which can contribute to frozen shoulder. You can help prevent this by practicing good posture while sitting, standing, or engaging in physical activity. "Good" posture is defined as keeping your chin neutral, shoulders relaxed and down, chest out and up, back straight, and feet shoulder-width apart with your weight evenly distributed.

Get regular chiropractic care

Chiropractors can adjust the shoulder joint, muscles, and tendons to improve posture, reduce inflammation, and improve flexibility. This can prevent frozen shoulder caused by repetitive activities or age-related degeneration. In addition, regular chiropractic care can reduce your risk of injury and allow you to manage pain associated with a frozen shoulder.

Keep your joints strong and flexible and maintain an active lifestyle

Staying active and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk of developing frozen shoulder as well. Low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, or yoga will keep your joints strong and flexible while also limiting your risk of injury.

If you are injured, take the proper precautions

If you injure your shoulder, it is important to take the necessary steps to reduce inflammation and improve flexibility. Ice the area for 15-20 minutes at a time, use a compression bandage to reduce swelling, and take anti-inflammatory medications if necessary. Try to minimize the amount of movement in the shoulder and consider chiropractic care to help manage the pain and improve flexibility.

Take breaks during activities that require repetitive motions

Repetitive motions can lead to frozen shoulder, so it is important to take breaks during activities that require repeating motions, like chopping wood, playing sports, or lifting weights. Taking breaks will give you time to stretch and reduce inflammation to reduce your risk of frozen shoulder.

How Barham chiropractic can treat your frozen shoulder

There are three main ways we typically treat frozen shoulder. Treatment plans to correct the frozen shoulder are designed considering the severity of your condition and what specifically is the cause of your shoulder issue.
If you are in the Sacramento area and believe you are suffering from frozen shoulder, we would love to meet you.

Chiropractic adjustments

Chiropractors treat frozen shoulder by adjusting the joint to minimize pain and enhance mobility. By doing this, they're able to target specific areas of the shoulder that are giving the patient trouble. When the shoulder joint is properly aligned, the pain will be reduced and flexibility improved.

At Barham Chiropractic, our gentle chiropractic adjustments target the problem areas to provide relief from your symptoms.

Massage therapy

Barham Chiropractic also offers massage therapy. Massages can loosen tight muscles, prevent spasms, and speed up the healing process. When soft tissue is manipulated correctly, it increases circulation and relaxes tight muscles. Massage therapy is often used in chiropractic care to complement frozen shoulder treatment.

Stretching and strengthening exercises

Additionally, we provide stretching and strengthening exercises specific to your condition. These exercises not only improve shoulder mobility and reduce inflammation but also can help prevent frozen shoulder from recurring.

How long does it take for chiropractors to help frozen shoulder?

We almost always see major breakthroughs from the very first adjustment for frozen shoulder. However, for long-term results, we strongly recommend following through with a corrective care plan tailored to your individual needs.

Our office recently treated a pastor for frozen shoulder using a combination of techniques our very own Dr. Steven Barham Jr developed.

The video is fairly long, but the pastor starts to tell a hilarious story about it at 53:15.

Thanks for sharing your story Pastor Arney Corbin, we are excited to see your continued progress.

This probably goes without saying, but we know frozen shoulder can be a huge pain (literally).

And whether you are recovering from an injury, dealing with chronic pain, or looking to improve your flexibility and mobility, chiropractic care can be an effective treatment option.

At Barham Chiropractic, our chiropractors are dedicated to helping you achieve optimal health and well-being and can design a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your needs. Contact us today to learn more about how our Sacramento Chiropractic clinic can help you alleviate your frozen shoulder symptoms.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3706702/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK326432/#:~:text=It%20is%20estimated%20that%202,in%20women%20than%20in%20men.

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