Claire Said:

Besides physical therapy, what can be done for a "frozen" shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)?

We Answered:

The other option is manipulation of the shoulder under general anaesthetic to break down the adhesions which have formed (obviously this would be far too painful to do on a conscious patient). However, this tends to be a last resort if the physiotherapy doesn't work.

In terms of pain medications, as long as your mum doesn't suffer from stomach ulcers or asthma, she can take ibuprofen (motrin in the USA) which is an anti-inflammatory drug which will help some with the pain.

Dustin Said:

Anybody have frozen shoulder?

We Answered:

I had it after shoulder surgery. I went for a month of physical therapy and it helped. I am fine now with no problems.

Ashley Said:

Have you had to deal with frozen shoulder?

We Answered:

Yes, PT is really the only way to go and while it can be boring, it does help the problem. You might like to find a local Pilate's class in your area and join that, because group exercise is much more fun then just doing it alone.

Clifton Said:

Do frozen shoulders heal eventually w/physical therapy, ice-packing, & anti-inflammatory medication? How long?

We Answered:

Mine took surgery.

Franklin Said:

is physical therapy ultrasound contraindicated in skin cancer?

We Answered:

Yes, it is contraindicated with a history of skin cancer. Some have argued that this contradindication is based only on theory and not on hard evidence, but the fact is that we don't have enough information yet. If you skin cancer was in the remote past and it was a basal carcinoma as opposed to a malignant melanoma, you might be able to get around it by having your dermatologist review your case. But if you had malignant melanoma, I wouldn't mess around with it.

Truthfully, ultrasound has been found to be of no theraputic value in it's ability to increase range of motion and it's effectiveness in frozen shoulder has not been described. It would be a waste of money, in my opinion.

There is SOME evidence for laser, but the studies are weak and are only compared to placebo and not other forms of treatment.

Darren Said:

How can I loosen up my frozen shoulder that hurts when I do certain weight training excercises?

We Answered:

No definitive answer can be given to you without a physical exam. We do not yet know if your residual pain is still due to an underlying fibrosis of the joint capsule, a contractile dysfunction, etc.

There could be a number of reasons why your shoulder still hurts. PT is not a "cookbook" solution and requires careful assessment to individualize your program.

Julian Said:

can physical therapy 3 times a week remove scar tissue?

We Answered:

Well if that's what the doctor says, try it out.