Frozen Shoulder

Progress continues to be stagnate, as I struggle with severe pain in my left shoulder. After a schedule orthopedic appointment near the end of December, the P.A. told me I had adhesive capsulitis otherwise known as frozen shoulder, “is a disorder in which the shoulder capsule, the connective tissue surrounding the glenohumeral joint of the shoulder, becomes inflamed and stiff, greatly restricting motion and causing chronic pain.”

Depending on the source you read, there cause is not well understood. Yet, one possibility peaked my interest. “Frozen shoulder can develop after a shoulder has been immobilized for a period of time due to surgery, a fracture, or other injury. Having patients move their shoulders soon after injury or surgery is one measure prescribed to prevent frozen shoulder” (source). Yet my bicep tenodesis didn’t leave my arm immobilized very long and one of the exercises I was given upon release was to let the arm hang like a pendulum, but was given a weight restriction of 12 ounces.

This pain is similar in nature to what I was feeling the past 12-18 months, if not longer. Prior to an MRI I was given a Cortisone shot in the shoulder capsule, based solely from an x-ray image. The pain failed to subside after the lidocaine wore off and it was one step closer to surgery.

Now that the surgery is nearly 12 weeks behind me, the shoulder hurts more now than prior to surgery. I attempted to “get under the barbell” this past weekend and was unsuccessful. I could not press the barbell without pain, nor could I get the shoulder back far enough to get under the barbell to squat. Bicep curls didn’t bother the shoulder, but pushups did. Placing my elbows in the hanging abs straps seems to put some unwanted stress on the shoulder as well. Working out is going to be very challenging.

Jeff Sekerak might have the answer. I bought his ebook some months back after reading about his story. His workouts are essentially body weight exercises. Some I can do, others I probably can’t initially. Along with Jeff’s exercises, running doesn’t seem to cause problems either, not to the point that I can’t run. As much as I want to gain strength, I need to get the shoulder healthy before I continue to add to the pain I am feeling.

I have another appointment scheduled for January 17 at which time a Cortisone shot will be administered to the shoulder capsule. If this is like last time, it won’t relieve the inflammation I have going on. I am staying positive in hope is does, but I won’t get my expectations up. Chances are I will have to go back for more physical therapy as well. If neither of these relieve the pain, I could end up on the surgical end for treatment again. The most common is manipulation under anesthesia, where they put you to sleep and yank and crank the arm. Sounds like fun, huh? The other, arthroscopy, cutting small incisions around the inflamed parts of the shoulder.