Frozen shoulder can be one of the most painful conditions to live with. It causes stiffness and pain in your arm, making it difficult for you to go about everyday tasks without any relief at all! Massage therapy has been found as being a great way not only to relieve symptoms but also to help heal Frozen Shoulder so that you may enjoy your lives again.
Before we get into the ways massage can help frozen shoulder, let’s go over some anatomy. Frozen shoulder is almost always caused by inflammation of the shoulder joint’s connective tissues. These tissues are called the rotator cuff and the bursa. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that attach the shoulder blade to the humerus. (That’s the upper arm bone.)
The muscles of the rotator cuff are:
- Supraspinatus muscle (partly responsible for rotating arms outward when throwing)
- Infraspinatus (which helps bring things inward)
- Teres minor (acts as an anchor point between your shoulder blades)
What does the rotator cuff do?
Your rotator cuff lifts your arm up. If it’s injured, you might find yourself struggling to move or twist your shoulder joint fully back into its socket joints – this can make moving difficult as well painful!
What are the symptoms of Frozen Shoulder?
The symptoms of frozen shoulder include:
– pain in the shoulder, arm, neck, or back
– stiffness in the shoulder
– difficulty moving the shoulder
– a clicking or grinding sound when you move your shoulder
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, please see your doctor. They can diagnose frozen shoulder and rule out anything else it could be; they’ll also want to make sure the muscles aren’t torn so there is no need for surgery!
How do you treat Frozen Shoulder?
The good news is that frozen shoulder usually goes away on its own. However, the bad news is, it can take a long time- up to two years!
During this time, your doctor may recommend physical therapy or steroid injections to help with the pain.
Massage therapy is another great way to help relieve pain. The right massage therapist can increase your range of motion dramatically even with just one session. You won’t be “fixed” in one session, but you’ll be able to move a lot better. A properly trained massage therapist can cut that 2-year time frame to a much more tolerable and faster time frame.
In our office, we’ll evaluate you, and talk to you about a plan. Your treatment plan might include deep tissue massage, cupping massage, and stretching.
You’ll know your frozen shoulder is getting better when:
– you have less pain
– you have more range of motion in your shoulder
– you don’t hear clicking or grinding when you move your shoulder
If you are suffering from frozen shoulder, don’t despair. There is hope! The Supine Studio can help.