Frozen Shoulder

Adhesive capsulitis, more commonly known as frozen shoulder, is a condition in which the glenohumeral joint (shoulder joint) tissue becomes inflamed. This results in difficulty of motion, and chronic pain in the shoulder area. While the cause of frozen shoulder is unclear to orthopedists and physical therapists, there are a variety of treatment options used by physical therapists to treat this condition.

The condition of frozen shoulder is often classified into three phases:

• Stage one is “freezing.” – This is when pain in the shoulder becomes more severe, and motion is slowly lost.

• Stage two is “frozen.” – At this point, the pain may decrease, but the shoulder is still very stiff.

• Stage three is “thawing.” –At this stage, movement in the affected area slowly improves.

While anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to relieve the pain and swelling caused by this condition, the incorporation of joint mobilization techniques can help get the shoulder moving again. Joint mobilization is a type of physical therapy that applies specific force to the affected joint, in order to restore normal range of motion. This technique utilizes five levels of mobilization, depending on the condition the patient is in.

Island Sports Physical Therapy are the experts in joint mobilization techniques. If you are experiencing frozen shoulder, or any other type of restricted motion in your shoulders, elbows, ankles, knees, hips or neck, consider coming to Island Sports Physical Therapy for an examination. With six convenient locations throughout both Nassau and Suffolk counties, Island Sports Physical Therapy is able to serve the entire Long Island Community.