I had my first case of frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) over 20 years ago. I was still teaching and was experiencing right shoulder pain. (It was the result of doing some exercises with dumbbells.) When I called the Humana Nurse Helpline, she told me that I should rest and immobilize my arms.
In 2020, I was working on scraping, plastering, sanding and painting our son's kitchen walls in Maryland with Art and BINGO! Shoulder pain again! I took Motrin which didn't alleviate the pain enough so I emailed my doctor at Tripler. She advised me to add Tylenol since it's a different class of drug. Anyway, I was able to keep moving my arm and I was able to cure myself.
And THIS TIME, as I wrote earlier, I was cleaning the tile grout using a toothbrush, baking soda and Dawn dishwashing liquid which caused my arm to start hurting a few days later.
I had learned my lesson well from the past experiences and took Aleve while continuing to move my arm.
The Shoulder-73 exercise was especially valuable for me.
I'd kept this sheet of exercises I'd gotten from the physical therapist.
I've got my shoulder mobility back now and am so grateful to my kind and knowledgeable physical therapists who have helped me throughout the years.
Ouch! I'm glad it's better. I have occasional shoulder discomfort, but I just keep moving and it eventually goes away.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you know how best to treat it now -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI did several of the same exercises back then I tore my rotator cuff. It was really depressing and painful in the beginning but gradually over weeks, I could see my shoulder becoming stronger again which gave me the motivation to continue until I was fully healed again.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear you are better!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds awful! My mom has had that and didn't get very good advice. It's better now though because she really couldn't avoid using her shoulder.
ReplyDeleteWhew! Glad you have a good set of PTs and exercises. Be careful! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteMy friend and I were saying, growing older is not for sissies.
DeleteJB is getting physio for his knees. Tough stuff. Take care.
ReplyDeleteDealing with my rotator cuff problem, some of those exercises look very familiar.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good idea to save your exercise explanation papers.
ReplyDeleteKay, I have not had frozen shoulder although I have had rotator cuff problems years ago from overdoing it in Yoga. Now I do get lots of crackling noises in all my joints... especially shoulders and back... so far, they don't hurt. And I do exercises daily (almost) to keep things moving.
ReplyDeleteI stopped doing several PT exercises for my hips because they were making my shoulder hurt and my therapist agreed with me that the last thing I need is bad shoulders. It seems that the best advice is easy does it but keep moving.
ReplyDeleteI'm appreciate you posting the exercises. I am so cautious with my joints. I had a fender bender and they kept asking me if I was hurt. I said no. But I felt like saying it is going to rain. My arthritis was talking.
ReplyDeleteShoulders are so persnickity, aren't they. Torn rotator cuff here, and I don't even pitch ball.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we have better shoulders. the Micro manager has some serious pain with torn rotator cuff.
ReplyDeleteBless your heart. Shoulder pain is terrible. This post has some great ideas for help.
ReplyDeleteOh, please take care, Kay! I have had a frozen shoulder during COVID, and made the same mistake as youi - immobilising it, which worsened the shoulder. Physiotherapy will certainly help.
ReplyDeleteOh no... not you too! I'm glad you've gotten better. It's really painful.
DeleteOh my! It is so great that you pay attention to what your body is telling you. And it is amazing how the body can heal itself when you do what needs to be done.
ReplyDeleteDidn't you also break a shoulder falling on steps? My husband has suffered from shoulder pain this past year. A shot of cortizone has helped him immensely. Me? Right now I have bursitis in my right hip and a pinched nerve affecting my left hip, leg and foot. Getting old doesn't help!
ReplyDeleteI wound up with a tendon which got trapped at (on?) the acromion 'hook' after 6 weeks of radiation which required me to lay on my back with my arm over my shoulder. I was in agony. The cancer doctor ordered x-rays. The fear was that the cancer had spread. She kept telling me she could see nothing. I took those x-rays to an ortho guy, he took one look and told me exactly what was wrong. One cortisone shot took care of it. What a relief!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! That is just awful. I'm so glad you're OK now. That's a terrible scare.
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