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Can a Frozen Shoulder Be Caused By Injury?Posted By judith (USA) on 02/05/2024
6-8 months ago I slipped down the stairs and grabbed hold of the banister with my left hand breaking the fall. Unfortunately, it wrenched my shoulder pretty badly. It hurt for several weeks and then felt better. Several months later, it began to hurt when I lifted my arm over my head and now it hurts more, not only in the shoulder but down the inside of my upper arm, even now if I put my arm up behind my back to put my coat on, etc. Can a frozen shoulder be caused by injury? The pattern of hurting initially and then seeming better for a few months and now worsening seems to fit symptoms of a frozen shoulder but I wonder if there is any way to determine without expensive diagnostic testing/imaging.
Replied by Art (California) on 02/05/2024
Frozen shoulder is caused by inflammation as discussed here :
Here is a relevant quote from the article :
' Also known as adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder is usually caused by inflammation. The capsule of the shoulder joint has ligaments that hold the shoulder bones to each other. When the capsule becomes inflamed, the shoulder bones are unable to move freely in the joint.
Most of the time, there is no cause for frozen shoulder, though risk factors include:
Given the accident that you say preceded the pain in your shoulder and if you have not actually been diagnosed with frozen shoulder, it is possible that you may have torn tendons or ligaments that are causing the pain. If that is the case, then the following may interest you :
https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/collagen-for-torn-ligaments.html
If you actually do have frozen shoulder, try icing the shoulder three times a day for three days. This should significantly reduce the pain and increase range of motion, if it is frozen shoulder, in which case you may want to consider using melatonin lotion to try and reverse the constant inflammation, pain and decreased range of motion.
Art
Replied by vera (Colorado) on 02/05/2024
The doc gave me a steroid shot, said it probably would not work, and it didn't. Then I was in rehab for about 5 months, 3x weekly. They had to work very hard to loosen it back into functionality. For the first two months it was really painful (what they did). The rehab is what cured me. The sooner you start stretching and exercising the tendons the better. Best of luck! :-)
Replied by judith (USA) on 02/14/2024
Thank you, Vera, for sharing your healing journey with me. I am waiting for my insurance to start on March 1 and then I will pursue some physical therapy.
