Frozen shoulder, also known as Adhesive capsulitis, is a common disease that causes significant morbidity. The prevalence of Frozen shoulder is estimated to be about 3%-5% in the general population and up to 20% in those with diabetes. It affects women more than men, and if you had it on one shoulder, you are chances of getting it on the other shoulder are 20%-30% more. The usual age groups that get affected are between the age of 40-60, and the incidence is rare outside these age groups.
What causes Frozen shoulder:
Patients with Frozen shoulder suffer from progressive loss of glenohumeral (shoulder joint) range of motion coupled with pain that worsens at night due to fibroproliferative tissue fibrosis of the shoulder capsule. Frozen shoulder manifests clinically as shoulder pain with progressive shoulder movement restriction, both active and passive, and mostly with normal Radiographic findings. It classically progresses through three overlapping stages, the freezing (Painful), Frozen (Adhesive), and thawing or recovery phase. Each stage may last for a couple of months. Shoulder pain treatment
Even today, an accurate, evidence-based treatment model for frozen shoulder management has not been defined, with a wide variety of conservative, operative, and non-operative treatment options available. Currently, there are various evidence-based treatment options for frozen shoulder like Physical therapy, Acupuncture, both oral and Intra articular steroid, hydrodilatation, manipulation under anesthesia, and arthroscopic capsular release are few to list.
Treatment Options:
This article will cover only physical therapy treatment options to treat Frozen shoulder.
The best treatment for Frozen shoulder depends on what stage you are in when you start your Physical therapy treatment and relies on the knowledge of the therapist to know what to do, how to do it, and when to do it to help you recover from Frozen shoulder faster. With traditional physical therapy treatment, one may go through the worst pain and suffering during treatment as it focuses significantly on manual therapy, electrotherapy, and exercises. In clinical practice, I have seen the following treatments work more efficiently to help relieve the nighttime pain and pain during the movements. The goal of the frozen shoulder treatment should focus on decreasing the pain due to fibroproliferative tissue. Frozen shoulder can be treated using a combination of quick and pain-free treatment options. The following treatment modalities help you recover from Frozen shoulder with less pain and suffering if the best treatment option is chosen at the right time. The combination of the following treatment can be beneficial to achieving the goal with Frozen shoulder.
The INDIBA is a radio frequency treatment at 448khz. It generates a safe, pain-free electromagnetic wave that introduces energy to the body. This causes bio-stimulation and a thermal effect that will help reduce pain and improve tissue flexibility. INDIBA significantly increases deep blood flow to deliver a considerable amount of nutrients and oxygen and deliver the energy needed to stimulate repair in the dysfunctional tissues that have been stuck in a non-healing state during the progression of the Frozen shoulder. INDIBA, when combined with manual therapy and other therapeutic techniques, along with the clinical knowledge of the therapist, helps create unparalleled results to decrease pain and improve tissue flexibility.
The next best treatment option is a Class IV laser therapy, also known as High Power Laser Therapy (HPLT). It offers a painless, non-surgical, and side-effect-free treatment for Frozen shoulder. It heals the tissue faster by strengthening the tissue repair, improves blood flow and lymphatic drainage, and improves immune response through photobiostimulation and bio stimulation. At the cellular level, high-power laser photons activate a biochemical cascade of events, leading to increased DNA/RNA, protein, and collagen synthesis, which increases nitric oxide production and increases energy in cytochrome C-complex in mitochondria cAMP levels, and cellular proliferation. This process enhances the body’s natural regenerative functions and stimulates the release of endorphins and collagen. It may eventually even normalize damaged or injured tissue. photobiostimulation stimulates all cell types, including soft tissue, ligaments, cartilage, and nerves. Multiple studies over 40 years worldwide have shown the powerful therapeutic benefits of high-power laser therapy in treating Frozen shoulder and decreasing pain.
Another best treatment option for Frozen shoulder will be Extracorporeal shockwave therapy. This noninvasive and safe technique can speed up the healing process and help recover from frozen shoulder quickly. In the frozen shoulder, increased stiffness and expressions of inflammatory cytokines can induce fibrosis. Lysis of the subacromial adhesions and rotator internal using Extracorporeal shockwave therapy will improve the range of motion and functional outcome of the stiff and painful shoulders. This treatment is more effective in frozen shoulder adhesive and recovery phases. Pain management near me
Along with the above-reviewed modalities, multiple other modalities can help with treating Frozen shoulder like Cupping therapy, STIMPOD 460, Alpha stim, Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, muscle energy techniques, Manual therapy, Myofascial relies, soft tissue massage, Range of motion exercises, shoulder pully exercises, resistive exercises, Neuromuscular facilitation exercises, Constrain induced movement therapy, Dry Needling, and much other conservative treatment are available to help with Frozen shoulder as I said earlier the knowledge of the therapist knows what to do, how to do it, and when to do it to help you recover from a Frozen shoulder faster.
