My Frozen Shoulder
A blog by Remedial Massage Therapist Jackie Foothead about her journey with Frozen Shoulder.
Ah, the joys of getting old. Stiff bones, muscles, joints…..but wait, I'm only 39! I'm not old! So why does my shoulder feel like it's been glued in place?
The Sudden Realization
It started as a dull ache. I thought I'd just slept on it funny or maybe overdid it at the gym. But then, simple things became impossible. Reaching for a seatbelt? Ouch. Putting on a coat? Agony. Tying my hair back? Forget about it.
As a remedial massage therapist, I know the anatomy. I know the symptoms. But experiencing it is a whole different story. Adhesive Capsulitis-better known as Frozen Shoulder-is a condition where the connective tissue surrounding the shoulder joint becomes thick, stiff, and inflamed.
The Three Stages
- The Freezing Stage: Any movement of your shoulder causes pain, and your shoulder's range of motion starts to become limited. This lasted months for me.
- The Frozen Stage: Pain may begin to diminish during this stage. However, your shoulder becomes stiffer, and using it becomes more difficult.
- The Thawing Stage: The range of motion in your shoulder begins to improve.
My journey involved a lot of patience, regular remedial massage to manage the compensatory tension in my neck and back, and specific gentle mobility exercises. If you're going through this, know that you're not alone, and it does eventually get better!