This week I am going to continue to look at medical conditions which benefit from regular massage therapy. Frozen shoulder is a debilitating condition which causes a considerable amount of pain and affects the movement in the shoulder joint; in severe cases you may not be able to move the shoulder at all. It is a fairly common condition which affects about 1 in 20, the most common age range to be affected is between 40 and 60 years, and women are more likely to suffer with frozen shoulder than men.

Frozen shoulder is also known as adhesive capsulitis or shoulder contracture and is a disorder of the shoulder capsule; the connective tissue surrounding the joint of the shoulder becomes stiff and inflamed which restricts motion and causes chronic pain. Unfortunately this disabling condition usually lasts a long time, some people get better over 18-24 months but for some the condition lasts several years. Patients report that the pain is worse at night, in colder weather and sudden jerky movements can cause onset of acute pain and cramps which last several minutes.

Unfortunately, the exact cause of frozen shoulder is unknown but diabetes, a shoulder injury, strokes, lung disease, connective tissue disorders and heart disease are all known risk factors. Not moving for long periods of time, such as in cases of hospitalization after a stroke or car accident, can also cause frozen shoulder.

As you can imagine, this painful and long lasting condition can be very demanding and frustrating on both the patient and caregiver due to the slow recovery process. The condition also leads to sleep problems, depression, neck pain and back problems – all of which benefit greatly from regular massage therapy as well as massage being used to treat the frozen shoulder specifically.

Signs of frozen shoulder

The first signs of frozen shoulder are tightness and stiffness in the shoulder joint which may mean that raising your arm or rotating your arm above your head, becomes impossible. There are three stages of the condition, although they are sometimes difficult to distinguish:

• First stage: the ‘freezing’ phase where the shoulder starts to ache and becomes very painful.

• Second stage: the ‘frozen’ stage where the shoulder becomes increasingly stiff and the muscle starts to waste away, although the pain doesn’t usually become any worse.

• Third stage: the ‘thawing’ stage where the pain starts to fade and movement gradually begins to reappear. This stage can last many years.

How does massage therapy help?

Massage techniques which encourage relaxation around the shoulder joint are the best approaches to treat this condition, such as simple effleurage (stroking). The muscles become fibrous and shortened due to limited movement therefore it essential to restore mobility. Massage increases the blood flow to the injured area and helps to reduce scar tissue. A combination of techniques can provide pain relief to the shoulder and help your recovery during the ‘thawing’ of the condition. Deep-tissue massage is very useful to treat frozen shoulder by applying pressure to the muscles which releases adhesions or scar tissue that may be contributing to shoulder pain. Deep-tissue massage techniques are avoided during times of acute shoulder pain, inflammation or swelling.

Trigger point therapy applied to targeted points within muscles using even pressure can be helpful to relieve muscle spasms. The gentle kneading and long strokes applied to surface muscle tissues to reduce stress and tension are of great benefit in both restoring mobility as well as treating the secondary effects of frozen shoulder such as depression, neck and back pain.

Regular massage treatments are needed to reduce muscle stiffness, and you may need several massage treatments to begin to feel the benefit and relief. Please do call to discuss your individual circumstances so that we can work together in treating this painful condition.

Timo Massage Therapy

Monday, 25 February 2013