As an osteopath, one of the most painful and frustrating complaints for clients that I see is ‘frozen shoulder’. With an average natural healing time of two and a half years, no wonder they’re over it!
Having studied and obtained Masters Certification in the Niel-Asher Technique (NAT) for the treatment of frozen shoulder, I’d like to share some commonly asked questions in my practice.
What is a frozen shoulder (FS)?
Frozen shoulder, also known as ‘adhesive capsulitis’ is described as:
“a soft tissue capsular lesion accompanied by painful and restricted active and passive motion at the glenohumeral joint” (Grubbs, 1993).
What does this mean? It means that the shoulder joint ligaments (capsule) become inflamed, and result in decreased movement (stiffness) at the shoulder.
Frozen shoulder passes through three phases of freezing, frozen, and thawing (painful, stiff and resolving), with each phase lasting between three to twelve months (Reeves, 1975).
Who gets it?
Frozen shoulder affects 2-5% of the general population, and is much higher in diabetics (10-20%), suggesting an underlying metabolic influence.
It affects women more than men (60:40), usually between 40-60 years of age, and more commonly affects the non-dominant arm.
Other ‘risk factors’ are:
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Posture – round-shouldered or shoulder-intensive sports or occupation
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Diabetes – Types I and II
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Trauma – fracture of the collar bone or humerus (arm bone)
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Surgery – especially following shoulder surgery, or mastectomy etc.
How do I treat frozen shoulder?
I use the Niel-Asher Technique (NAT), which utilises soft tissue massage, trigger-point release (via manual pressure) and gentle articulation. As well as the above, I always assess other related areas that may be contributing such as the elbow/wrist/hand, upper thoracic spine (controls nerve and blood flow to the arm), and the neck.
Is the Niel-Asher Technique (NAT) only for frozen shoulder?
No, the NAT can be used to help with any shoulder condition, be it a rotator cuff strain/tear, bursitis, arthritis and more!
Where to from here?
If you’d like more information on the Niel-Asher Technique, please visit their website for useful downloads and helpful tips:
http://www.frozenshoulder.com/
Alternatively if you, or someone you know, are frustrated by frozen shoulder, or any other shoulder condition, please feel free to contact me for more information.
References
Grubbs N: Frozen shoulder syndrome: a review of literature. Journal of Orthopaedic Sports Physical Therapy. (1993) Sep; 18(3):479-87
Niel-Asher S, Hibberd S, Bentley S, Reynolds J. Adhesive capsulitis: Prospective observational multi-center study on the Niel-Asher technique (NAT). International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine. (2014) Dec; 17(4):232-242
Reeves B. The natural history of the frozen shoulder syndrome. Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology: 4: 193-196. 1975
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