Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)

Frozen shoulder is a condition that develops after inflammation begins to thicken and limit the shoulder joints capsule. The capsule is like a balloon that surrounds the joint and helps to keep the joint lubricated and moving smoothly. Usually frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, starts because of an injury to the tendons or labrum of the joint. This injury could be traumatic or it could just be a progressive wear and tear that begins to overcome our bodies compensation to correct for it. Once the injury happens however the inflammation in the joint can become uncontrolled. The inflammation of the capsule of the joint itself makes the lubrication and motion of the joint very limited. Both raising the arm above the head and even rotating the arm behind or away from the body becomes very difficult. This is usually very painful at the beginning of the disorder but then becomes less painful and just non mobile. Treatment for this traditionally has been physical therapy a steroid injection and then if nothing else is working and it has persisted for greater than 6 months to a year manipulation under anesthesia. These treatments are usually helpful but many times surgery is to early and not desired and the PT is too painful to improve the motion. Steroid injections can help but only one should be used. If multiple steroid injections are used it can lead to breakdown of the joint and tendons making more tears possible. Using an ultrasound there are more ways to treat this condition. With the ultrasound guided injections I am able to separate bursa, free up tendons, expand the joint capsule, and to use injectate other than steroid to help lessen inflammation and improve mobility. If a steroid injection was not completed yet I will usually start with that to help decrease some of the inflammation and then bring you in again to help free up and heal the injuries that will prevent the frozen shoulder from recurring. These treatments have been successful in nearly every patient with adhesive capsulitis I have treated allowing improved motion within weeks.  

At The St. George Health and Wellness Group, we have the solutions to your dis-ease. Our regenerative physician, can properly evaluate and suggest treatments other than addictive drugs and surgery. Knee pain, back pain, shoulder pain, Auto Accident, sports injury, we are your Rode Back to Health.

At the Road Back to Health clinic our Doctors will work with you to find the root cause of your pain and treat it in a way to provide long term relief not just a short term fix for the problem.