Chiropractic Care for Frozen Shoulder?
Frozen shoulder aka “adhesive capsulitis” is a condition in which your shoulder is so stiff and painful that you have difficulty doing simple tasks such as putting a shirt off and on, combing your hair, or even pulling up your pants. Signs for frozen shoulder usually start gradually and will worsen with time. I this article we will discuss the why behind chiropractic care for frozen shoulder.
Pain and decrease in range of motion occurs due to the capsule of connective tissue that surrounds the shoulder joint thickens. The cause of frozen shoulder for the most part is still unknown. The risk of developing shoulder usually increases if you have just come off a surgery that affects the mobility of your arm, (stroke or mastectomy).
Frozen shoulder has three main stages that develop over time which can be as long as years. The first stage is known as the painful stage; as you might expect this stage consist of pain with any type of movement of the shoulder. During this stage your shoulder starts to become limited in range of motion.
The next stage is the frozen stage, in this stage your shoulder becomes stiffer as the pain starts to diminish. You have a larger decrease in range of motion and start to notice it more and more when you are unable to do daily activities.
The last stage in frozen shoulder is where you receive treatment on the shoulder and it starts to “thaw”. In the thawing stage you see an increase in range of motion and are able to see and improvement in performing daily activities.
The main goal for treating a frozen shoulder is to decrease pain and increase range of motion. In a chiropractor’s office they do this in multiple ways, one way is to mobilize the joint. If the glenohumeral joint is misaligned a chiropractor can adjust that joint to help restore the proper alignment and improve range of motion. Another technique is to use Kinesio taping method in which a chiropractor applies tape over the joint to take pressure and tension off the shoulder. After initial intensive care a chiropractor will give you home exercises to perform on your own to maintain the range of motion and keep improving it until it is back to normal.
Call your Tempe Chiropractor today to find the cause of your pain and start correcting your problem today. Chiropractic care for frozen shoulder is the best place to start. Contact us today!
Reed Chiropractic
250 W. Baseline Rd. #107 Tempe AZ 85283
6025 E. McKellips Rd. #102 Mesa AZ 85215
(P) 480.785.1355
