Anybody have a "frozen" shoulder?

[RSKY]

One other thing I had forgot, when my shoulder was frozen I would constantly push on the I-beams at work. And push on door frames at home. Just keep pushing and hurting until it breaks loose. Or you can buy one of the pulley things and do the exercises with it.

Also the doctor who operated on my other shoulder made it clear that he would not do surgery on any joint unless it was necessary. Said no matter how good the surgeon and how successful the surgery there was always scar tissue.

Good luck.

RSKY

 

[Bird]

a pulley with a recoil starter rope

My orthopedic doctor will sell you (or your insurance) a pulley system made to mount to the top of a door, but he also told me I could just make my own. So I bought a pulley at Home Depot, cut a 1" dowel and drilled holes for the rope, and made my own. I like mine better than the one the physical therapist has anyway. I just leave that folding chair under it because I use it so much.

I hung from one of my barn rafters

I mentioned doing something similar before but since I'm posting the attached photo, the hoizontal 2 x 8 shown is just high enough that I have to stand on my toes to get my fingers over the top edge, then I can let my weight down to stretch the arm and shoulder without actually being completely suspended from it.

 

[Redbug]

I did the same thing as you Bird, in my workshop. I like to stand up when using mine and it hangs there at the right height. I can apply more weight and pressure to it that way.

PS...That table you have looks like you are also doing autopsies as a sideline...My workshop looks like a dungeon...

 

[Navy GSCM]

I just had rotator cuff surgery on my left shoulder in November and will be having the right one done in March. I am trying to get back to 100% before I retire in April 2013 after 30 years in the Navy. The physical therapy is more painful than the recovery after the surgery.

 

[Bird]

I did the same thing as you Bird, in my workshop. I like to stand up when using mine and it hangs there at the right height. I can apply more weight and pressure to it that way.

PS...That table you have looks like you are also doing autopsies as a sideline...My workshop looks like a dungeon...

I have a combination shop/recreation room, so that table is an 8' Olhausen pool table.:laughing:

 

[JeffinIA]

You Guys are Lucky.. My Shoulder has been froze for about 5 years. Don't remember ever hurting it . When it froze up it felt like I had been hit in the shoulder with a sledge hammer and could hold my arm across my chest , this went on and the docs had me do the pt then the cortisone shots then they did the distention shot that busts the cap in the shoulder.Which did finally relieve some of the pain . I've had MRIs and they show no rotater cup damage. They told me my shoulder is shot,and My neck,shoulder and collar bone are full of arthritis and needs replaced. I even had a big wig athletic Doctor from the University of Iowa look at it and he said he could go in and dig around and MAYBE might relieve some of the pain. (imagine that coming from a School, Can you say guinea pig?)I don't want the new shoulder now as I have been told they only last about 10 years and don't want to go thru this twice . I can live with the pain and can only raise my arm straight out it wont go up from there. This all must have been the result of 25 years of driving a ready mix truck . Now I'm a dispatcher and will live with the pain for now. I'm 51 years old.

 

[Travelover]

I had a very stiff shoulder and I went to an orthopedic surgeon. He misdiagnosed it a a rotator cuff injury. He told me that the surgery would help, but that I would never be the same as before.

I insisted on doing physical therapy before any surgery. The physical therapist working with me told me it was a frozen shoulder not a rotator cuff injury. She knew, as she had spent thousands of hours in hands-on manipulation of patient's bodies, the doc stood there with a clip board in hand making my diagnosis.

Long story short, after many painful physical therapy sessions and time passage, I am as good as new. It is important to keep stretching the muscles or it can become permanent.

I injured it while putting in an overhead drywall ceiling in my basement. I'm right handed, the injury was to the left, which is common (non-dominant side).

My advice, don't rush into surgery, work with a good physical therapist first. They really know their stuff.

 

[Bird]

My advice, don't rush into surgery, work with a good physical therapist first. They really know their stuff.

And don't quit the exercises when it gets better. I went to my shoulder specialist (who believes in surgery as a last resort, as I do) in June, 2008, and again in September, 2008. Both of those times they made x-rays, and then I just did exercises that he and his nurse told me to do and it got better.

But the problem gradually came back and I went to see him in May, 2011, had an x-ray, got a bunch of exercises to do without a lot of improvement, went back in June for an MRI, then a cortisone injection, and started visits with the physical therapists in July; 19 sessions last year plus about a 45 minute daily exercise routine at home on the days I didn't go to the physical therapist, and another cortisone injection in September.

I actually had a problem with both shoulders; the right one being the worst. So I only saw the doctor for the right one, but then I did all the exercises both he and the physical therapist prescribed with both arms at home.

 

[gilbertmsg]

Had cuff surgery on 13 Dec 11. Great for 3 weeks until I switched some hydraulic lines on my backhoe. Arm was not out of sling, just straight line pushing to connect hose. Have been in moderate to severe pain since 1 Jan 12. Have MRI scheduled for 13 Mar 12, surgeon believes it is frozen from being in sling so long or I pulled something loose pushing hose. I my opinion, it is torn again. I have pain in my collar bone that radiates almost down to my neck. Can't wait until MRI and some relief. Surgeon states that it is very hard to tear without falling. Wish I had not went under the knife.

Eddie

 

[brokenknee]

This is more common than I thought. Yep sleeping can be bad, can't sleep at all on my left side (bad shoulder side), can't raise my arm even level at the side. First thought it was torn rotator cup or arthritis, turned out to be neither.

Sounds like standard exercises for therapy, although have not been told to hang from the rafters yet.

Surgery is scheduled for this Friday afternoon. I will let you know how it goes.