Massage Therapy for Frozen Shoulder

Is it agonizingly painful to move the shoulder? Is the shoulder mobility restricted and do you prefer to keep the arm close to the body? This painful condition that limits flexibility or freezes the movement of the arm region may be due to frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis. The only way to regain mobility is to stretch and rhythmically massage the shoulder region under the expert guidance of a trained therapist.

The shoulder pain, discomfort and stiffness caused by the frozen shoulder worsen if there is no movement of the arm. Generally people in the age group of 40-70 years face this challenge. They often jam up and stop moving their arm due to the acutely painful condition. But, the actions may seem excruciatingly painful in the beginning but with course of time and regular massaging and stretching the shoulder movement will be restored. If you want to restore the mobility and range of shoulder motion, then move it, but carefully!

What is a frozen shoulder?

Frozen shoulder usually affects people between the ages of 40 and 70. It’s caused by inflammation, repetitive motions, or extended periods of disuse. Lack of mobility when you’re healing from a medical condition, procedure, or injury can also be a cause.

Conditions such as a stroke or blood sugar can aggravate the discomfort and pain. At times the cause and reason for this condition is unknown but it starts and the acute pain makes the individual naturally defensive and unable to move comfortably. This is the reason for shoulder immobility and lack of proper movement.

Tests recommended for frozen shoulder:

As a result, the shoulder capsule inflames, scar tissue develops, leading to a frozen shoulder. Tests such as ultrasound, MRI, X rays etc help confirm the diagnosis of the condition. Get it checked by a professional so that you can avail therapeutic massages for your frozen shoulder and feel better. Frozen shoulder can be triggered by a previous injury that flares up.

Types of massages recommended for frozen shoulder:

1) Trigger point or Myofascial massage therapy:

The muscles in the shoulder region have Myofascial trigger points connected to the shoulder or arms that may be the leading cause of frozen shoulder. The sensitive areas, knots or lumps are a result of overuse, injury or referred pain travelling from another body part causing spasms, contractions due to poor circulation, leading to muscle weakness and reduced mobility.

Frozen shoulder can affect the moods and is the leading cause of back and neck pain. Targeted points in the muscles are pressed with even pressure to get rid of the muscular spasms. Gentle and soft kneading of the muscles and tissues with long relaxing strokes by a trained massage therapist reduces the stiffness, tension and stress in the shoulder region. Once the agitated muscle relaxes, the shoulder starts to feel less pain and also moves better.

The massage therapist is aware of the condition and will choose the massage according to the needs of the patient and use it to treat the shoulder. Massages need to be administered very carefully or they can cause severe injuries that can complicate the condition further.

2) Deep tissue massage:

Deep tissue massages are often recommended for frozen shoulder. It starts with simple stroking to relax the stressed and painful shoulder point. Due to the limited movement of the shoulder region, the muscles shorten and become fibrous, complicating the condition.

The massages help elongate the muscles and restore mobility. Moreover, the blood flow to the area improves and the scar tissue is reduced helping the shoulder recover faster. Different techniques are used on the shoulder to provide relief from pain because it may be the tension knots that are agitating the area.

Pressure is applied to the muscles and the adhesions in the muscles are made soft and pliable. If the pain is acute and there is a lot of inflammation in the area the massage therapist abstains from providing a penetrating deep tissue massage.

Regular massages are very affective and reduce muscle stiffness. So, enrol for a few rejuvenating massage sessions and keep your shoulder mobile, say the experts, or the symptoms will exacerbate and worsen the immobility. Alleviate the pain and improve mobility and flexibility of the body with regular exercising stretching and a soothing Palm Beach gardens massage.