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Frozen Shoulder
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The term “frozen
shoulder” is a lay-term to describe a condition whose medical name is
“adhesive capsulitis.” Although a lay-term, “frozen shoulder” accurately
describes this condition. For incompletely understood reasons, the
glenohumeral capsule (the soft tissue lining of the shoulder ball-and-saucer
joint) becomes inflamed and contracted. As a result, there is severe
restriction of motion of this joint. Patients with this condition have pain
when moving their shoulder in any direction. This can be very limiting.
Fortunately, however, most often the frozen shoulder thaws and motion and
function of this joint are regained. However, this can take up to two years
to occur. The thawing process can sometimes be hastened somewhat with physical therapy exercises to try and stretch the contracted joint
capsule. |
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In a small percentage
of patients, the frozen shoulder never thaws and regaining motion requires
surgical intervention. Current technology allows us to perform arthroscopic
surgery in which the joint capsule is cut under direct vision of an
arthroscope. Then the shoulder is gently manipulated in order to break up any
adhesions or scar tissue which may have formed outside the joint. The
resulting gains in motion can be dramatic. However, it takes a lot of effort
doing physical therapy stretching exercises in order to maintain these gains
in motion. People not willing to do these painful stretching exercises
after such a surgical intervention will develop post-surgical scarring which
will lead to the reformation of a tight capsule and loss of the motion gained
at surgery. |
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