Siwgrstorm

Several years ago I started to get a frozen shoulder. I thought I was such a great diabetes expert, it shocked me to find out that this condition is more common with diabetes.

I got over it using only physical therapy. A few months later I did develop it in the other shoulder and again had to get physical therapy for that one.

One exercise my therapist suggested was 'bowing to your fridge'. Put your two hands on top of your fridge and bend your waist as if bowing to it. That will stretch those shoulder nicely.
 

Hi there. I got here from Bernard's Blog.
I have had frozen shoulders for about 4 years. At the time the symptoms showed up I was also dealing with retinopathy so ignored them. I think treatment is more effective in the early stages.
There was a time when I could not put on my coat without help. Then I broke my ankle, and being on crutches really worsened the situation.
At present, I cannot reach over my head with my right arm, and cannot reach into my back pocket with my left. Fortunately, between the two, I can accomplish most of the tasks involved in daily living.
I never get colds, flu, or any of the winter crud that circulates through my office, but I've had many joint and connective tissue problems - carpal tunnel, tmj, trigger finger, knee stuff. A PT told me, "diabetics stiffen up as they get older" - lovely.
Your post reminded me that I need to get back to my exercises.
Did you have an MRI? Or were you just diagnosed based on symptoms?
I am interested to know how the cortisone helps (although in my case, I may have let it go untreated too long).
Good luck and best wishes.
Kathy
 

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Thank you so much for your comments. I did get an X-ray but not an MRI. I had a sonogram heat treatment last week, and I have been doing the exercises so I expect it'll clear up. I'll try the fridge idea too - sound like a good exercise. I heard that it is more common in non-diabetics for women in their 50's but I'm sure numbers vary.
 

Ive got frozen shoulder at the moment, it started May 2006, and the pain has been bad, Ive done all sorts of therapy, and still no movement, I went to acupuncture in early 2007, and its not a cure but it is a reliever!! I had ZERO movement upon arrival, after the first treatment, over a period of 3 weeks i noticed I had movement! I went for my second treatment 4 weeks after the 1st, again I noticed I had movement around the 3rd week,I have been going more often, I notice my problem with treatment is I have to take half an hour out for me, this may sound silly but its true, and I think "Frozen Shoulder" has more to do with stress... Metal stress. Take time to have some time for yourself, I now go and have a hot spa, twice a mth, acupuncture twice a mth, and the movement is great, if I miss, Pain..
 

I am currently suffering from frozen shoulder for the 2nd time (other shoulder) and I am convinced it is a combination of stress and hormones that cause it. I had never heard of it and when my Dr diagnosed it I mentioned in my knitting group and found that every woman over 50 had had it. I went through physical therapy for the first shoulder and this time am self treating. Of the 6 women I have talked to extensively, 4 had treatment and 2 did nothing and the condition lasted the same amount of time give or take a couple months for all.
 

I am currently suffering from frozen shoulder for the 2nd time (other shoulder) and I am convinced it is a combination of stress and hormones that cause it. I had never heard of it and when my Dr diagnosed it I mentioned in my knitting group and found that every woman over 50 had had it. I went through physical therapy for the first shoulder and this time am self treating. Of the 6 women I have talked to extensively, 4 had treatment and 2 did nothing and the condition lasted the same amount of time give or take a couple months for all. Jill
 

I guess I am different. As I don't hear many of you relating to the severe pain...whether I moved my shoulder or not...I had to take major pain pills to get any kind of relief. I had horiffic pain with both the left and the right frozen shoulders. With the left, I took cartizone shots, 4 of them over a period of 7 months and it finally went away. But I thought I was going to die from being on the narcotics that long. Then when it moved over to my left shoulder, I thought I would not go through this again, so I elected to do the surgery. BIG MISTAKE! It only prolonged the pain, increased the pain, and here it is 11 mnoths later from the onset and 6 months since the surgery, and I am still in pain. Oh they tell you that you will feel immediate relief, Don't believe it. Please, If I can help someone not suffer as much as I have and the wasted money...I just hope someone reads this! Just have patience it is like a virus...it just has to run its' course...but whatever you do, DON"T HAVE THE SURGERY!
 

I suffered a partial tear of my supraspinaticus tendon in January, 2009, while I was alpine skiing. I was told to take Advil, do some PT exercises and just wait it out. Miserable one month later, I received the first Cortizone in February which worked for a couple of months, and again in June; that one didn't work as well. Again, the Orthopedic Surgeon said that surgery would just make the shoulder stiffer than it already was, and that this will hopefully go away on its own. I have limited mobility with my arm, fortunately it is my left arm, but the biggest issue is pain during the night. I was once a very active, fun-loving person, and now all I do is talk about my aches and pains.. I'm sick and tired of it, and am going for a 3rd cortisone tomorrow, this time right into the joint. My arm wasn't bothering me as much as it usually does today, but then tenseness develops in my upper back and shoulders....a twenty minute $20 acupressure massage at the mall helped...Hopefully, the cortizone will give me some more pain-free time, and it will heal...
 

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Things I can't do because of frozen shoulder and this may be long so bear with me:

Put on my bra.
Pull up my pants.
Comb my hair/put hair in a pony tail.
Wash my hair with one hand
Hug a friend.
Hold the phone to my ear with my bad shoulder.
Take my own jacket off.
Reach for something behind me.
Pull something out of the left side pockets.
Pull something down off of a high shelf.
Climb up a bunk bed, or a ladder.
Pick up a child.
Wrestle with my kids or husband.
Shave my arm pits (OK I can but I have to position my elbow .....
The rest of my article is posted on my blog, but can I just say Frozen Shoulder Stinks!!!
 

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Here's another Bernard: good morning from Australia - I am a manual therapist, with a strong interest in shoulder function - contributors to this site might be inclined to think "oh oh, here's another salesman, trying to get money out of my discomfort". Fear not, folks, this therapist in his mid-seventies is not pursuing fame and fortune, but he has an answer to many, many, shoulder malfunctions. Talk among yourselves - if you are interested, we could correspond further. meanwhile, have a free look at my education web-site. I am also an editor of the Journal of the American Medical Massage Association, perhaps that adds to credibility.
 

Around 2007 I developed frozen shoulder, first of all in the left shoulder and then a few months later in the right shoulder. The medical specialist gave me a cortisone injection in my left shoulder which for about a week was extremely painful - and didn't help. He suggested surgical treatment. Via internet I had seen that in many cases (I believe the majority) frozen shoulder dissappears, so I avoided the surgical treatment. Sure enough around 2009 the frozen shoulder condition improved considerably. After around 6 months I had no further problems - complete cure! The cause of frozen shoulder is not known, neither is the reason for the cure. It is however well documented and occurs most frequently between 55 to 65 years of age. In my case I was 61 when it occurred.
 

Don't have the surgery...it makes the pain worse and takes then even longer to heal.
 

Don't have the surgery...it makes the pain worse, and takes then even longer to heal.
 

So similar was my story before I read about Frozen Shoulder & then got myself treated!
 

Thanks for this! I am having an Therapetic Anthogram next week, so fingers crossed. I have already had a steroid injection which hasn't helped. I have been struggling since January, although I noticed some discomfort in September. Unfortunately my other shoulder has started to flare up also so they have said they might do the same procedure on it in 4 weeks. I have found physio to be a great help, although I am not progressing at any great speed the massage does help so does heat.
Regards
https://www.kentmskclinic.co.uk/services/
 

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