Friday, September 7, 2012

Stretching exercises are the treatments of choice for frozen shoulder

FROZEN SHOULDER TREATMENT
Stretching exercises are the treatments of choice for frozen shoulder
  1. Ice the joint — Apply an ice pack or bag of
    frozen vegetables to the shoulder for 15 minutes every four to six hours
    to reduce pain and inflammation
  2. Heat — Heat helps prepare the tissues for
    stretching and should be performed prior to exercise sessions. The
    preferable method of heating is in a warm shower or bath for 10 to 15
    minutes. Local heat (for example with a moist heating pad or a towel
    warmed in a microwave) is an alternative, but generally is not as
    effective.
  3. Weighted pendulum stretch — Range-of-motion
    exercises are recommended early in the recovery period. These exercises
    are intended to help maintain joint mobility and flexibility of the
    muscles and tendons in the shoulder. Pain should not exceed mild levels
    with any range-of-motion/flexibility exercise. Anyone who feels sharp or
    tearing pain while stretching should stop exercising immediately and
    consult with a healthcare provider.

    The weighted pendulum stretching exercise performs two functions:Gently stretches the space in which the tendons pass to relieve pressure on the tendons .Prevents the development of a frozen (stiff) shoulder

  4. Passive stretching exercises — Passive stretches
    (ie, stretches done without actively contracting any shoulder muscles)
    should be performed after the pendulum stretch exercise. These exercises
    should further loosen the tightened shoulder capsule and muscles and
    restore normal range of motion. These exercises should be performed in
    sets of 10 to 20 once or twice a day for several months. The goal of
    these exercises is to stretch the shoulder to the point of tension but
    not pain. Severe discomfort is unusual and suggests overstretching
  5. Armpit stretch — Use your good arm to lift the affected arm onto a shelf, dresser, or any object that is chest high (picture 1). Gently bend at the knees, opening up the armpit. Try to push the affected arm up a little farther with each stretch.
  6. Finger walk — Face a wall about three-quarters of an arm's length away (picture 2). Using only your fingers (not your shoulder muscles) raise your arm up to shoulder level.
  7. Towel stretch — Take a 3-foot-long towel, grasp it with both hands, and hold it at a 45 degree angle (picture 3). Use the upper, good arm to pull the arm toward the lower back. This can be repeated with the towel in the horizontal position.

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