Frozen Shoulder/orthopaedic referral

[PimmyB]

I was diagnosed with frozen shoulder approx 18 months ago. I have had chiropractor sessions (which cost a small fortune!) steroid injection (just 1) & physio. I am now being referred to “trauma & orthopaedics.” I just wanted to establish if anyone else has been in this situation and what the orthopaedic team did for you? Thanks in advance for response.

 

[Leadinglights]

I was diagnosed with frozen shoulder approx 18 months ago. I have had chiropractor sessions (which cost a small fortune!) steroid injection (just 1) & physio. I am now being referred to “trauma & orthopaedics.” I just wanted to establish if anyone else has been in this situation and what the orthopaedic team did for you? Thanks in advance for response.

I remember a few people having had frozen shoulder so they may be able to outline their experience.
I was having problems with my shoulders and was diagnosed with rotator cuff damage and arthritis. I did find the chiropractor helpful and exercises given my seeing the NHS physio. The important thing is to actually do the exercises. At least now I can sleep lying down which I couldn't do and at it's worst I struggled to lift a cup of tea. I did find volterol gel helpful. My GP and the physio didn't feel steroid injections would be helpful.

 

[Barrowman]

I had a frozen shoulder some years ago while engaging in wellie throwing at a school fate so I know what you're going through. Anyway, I stood it for a couple of weeks before going to the doctor where I was given a steroid injection, within a couple of days the pain had gone and I have been fine ever since. Wishing you a speedy recovery....

 

[DaveB]

Hi. My wife had three frozen shoulders. Her consultant said steroid injections were generally a waste of time if they are the real 'adhesive capsulitis'. Pain relief with something like amitriptyline should help. Sadly it can take up to a year to clear. Some people go for surgery which can sometimes work

 

[agentmole]

I had a frozen shoulder some years ago and ended up in trauma and orthopaedics, a couple of weeks later I was admitted to hospital for shoulder manipulation under a general anaesthetic, in and out in a day and with some exercises afterwards worked a treat!

 

[rebrascora]

I am pretty sure that @everydayupsanddowns has had frozen shoulder possibly more than once.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I suspect many of us have had one or more frozen shoulders (or will do). Mine were very mild, fortunately, so I've no relevant experience.

 

[Flower]

Hi & welcome @PimmyB

I’ve had frozen shoulder in both joints a few years back. I had Manipulation under general anaesthetic MUA on both shoulders at the same time. The shoulders are manipulated & stretched to release the adhesions. It helped a bit but I didn’t get much relief from the stiffness, pain & lack of movement. I then had capsular release under general anaesthetic on both shoulders at the same time where a camera is put in to the shoulder joint & the adhesions broken down.

This helped a lot and I regained a bit of movement in my shoulders & the pain reduced. I still have to put my bra on around the front and put my arms into tops/coats in the right order otherwise I can’t do it. The capsular release was a lot more successful operation & restored some movement to my shoulders.

I hope you get some good advice from orthopaedics on what the best options are to help you.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I was diagnosed with frozen shoulder approx 18 months ago. I have had chiropractor sessions (which cost a small fortune!) steroid injection (just 1) & physio. I am now being referred to “trauma & orthopaedics.” I just wanted to establish if anyone else has been in this situation and what the orthopaedic team did for you? Thanks in advance for response.

Hello there @PimmyB

I’ve had frozen shoulder once on either side. The first time it followed some strenuous activity without a proper warm up, which refused to ease. It was never fully immobile, but movement on that side was limited and I spent a long time learning to instinctively use the other (non-dominant) arm to reach up for things on shelves, and to get dressed ‘in the right order’ so that it didn’t twinge.

Because of the workarounds, it probably took me a year before I went to the GP, who suspected frozen shoulder, and referred me to a physio who confirmed it (apparently it’s not unusual in T1). According to the physio, the shoulder isn’t a ‘proper’ joint like the ball and socket of a hip, its more like a collection of sticks in a bag… great for flexible movement, but not really very robust.

She offered a steroid injection which she said might help and might not, and I was a bit put-off by the likely BG upheaval that comes with steroids, so never went for it in the end.

She said that frozen shoulder usually has 3 phases: Getting stiffer. Being Stiff. Getting easier. And that the three phases are usually the same length.

In my case this ended up being about 9 months each. So my first shoulder eased in a little over 2 years.

When my shoulder on the other side froze I watched and waited, and the stiffness became consistent after about 6 months. So that one didn’t last as long and disappeared in about a year and a half.

Hope yours eases soon. They are a real drag.

 

[Chelseagirl]

I too have had both shoulders like this. First one, then just as one was back to almost normal, about 18 months, the other one started. What I did find help was putting forehead on something waist level (I used kitchen worktop) and letting arms hang down and swing in small circles, or side to side. Funny though, I am right handed, and after the second shoulder went, I found myself using left hand very much more. Still do, 7 years later!

 

[nonethewiser]

I was diagnosed with frozen shoulder approx 18 months ago. I have had chiropractor sessions (which cost a small fortune!) steroid injection (just 1) & physio. I am now being referred to “trauma & orthopaedics.” I just wanted to establish if anyone else has been in this situation and what the orthopaedic team did for you? Thanks in advance for response.

Had all that steroid injections physio & all that, finally it was decided to do operation which thankfully resolved things, it will be 15 since & still no issues with shoulder.