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Frozen shoulder

Could it be aggravated by the riding position on your bikes?

I'm pretty sure it's unrelated as thankfully the shoulder doesn't hurt at all in my riding position. I've done over 100 miles this week after almost a months break due to crap weather and if anything it's improved the shoulder. The only thing I can think that might be related is about three months ago I hit a pot hole I'd not spotted until too late real hard on the MTB and very nearly fell off, that hurt both shoulders and my neck for a day or two, but everything got better, i.e. it was before the proper frozen shoulder arrived. I was amazed I didn't ding the wheel-rim to be honest, Mavic XC717s are really rather good!
 
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The only thing I can think that might be related is about three months ago I hit a pot hole I'd not spotted until too late real hard on the MTB and very nearly fell off, that hurt both shoulders and my neck for a day or two, but everything got better, i.e. it was before the proper frozen shoulder arrived. ...

Classic case, can take many weeks for the injury/damage to manifest itself. Go see your GP, some physio or other (anti-inflammatory?) treatment could well be called for.

(Been there/had that pain wouldn't waste time getting treatment again!)
 
I'm pretty sure it's unrelated as thankfully the shoulder doesn't hurt at all in my riding position. I've done over 100 miles this week after almost a months break due to crap weather and if anything it's improved the shoulder. The only thing I can think that might be related is about three months ago I hit a pot hole I'd not spotted until too late real hard on the MTB and very nearly fell off, that hurt both shoulders and my neck for a day or two, but everything got better, i.e. it was before the proper frozen shoulder arrived. I was amazed I didn't ding the wheel-rim to be honest, Mavic XC717s are really rather good!


And I still remember you telling me that front shocks were unecessary for urban riding! #; )
 
Do you sleep on that side Tony?

I had an awful time with my shoulder, couldn't lift the arm even to horizontal, could not do a single press up. I worked out that taking any weight off it helped recover and now its fully sorted.

I would sleep with a thin pillow under my ribs so that the shoulder was slightly taking less strain. It was an immediate improvement and within a month or so gone. Strangely trying to sleep on the other obvious side didn't help and I wondered if the weight of the arm or its position (pulling down on the shoulder) wasn't helping.

I don't know what I actually had, but even forgetting and for example lifting my arm to try and lift a glass in the kitchen cupboard f in hurt!

All the best with it.
 
My frozen shoulder episode was triggered by torn (partial) rotator-cuff muscles. I'm not sure which ones, but I blamed my injury-prone personal trainer of the time. Then I moved house (with damaged shoulder muscles) alone with my wife and that probably did it to me. I could not raise my right arm much past 45 degrees above horizontal. Physiotherapy was started to mobile the joint. It helped a bit, but I wanted faster progress to full recovery. So the sports doctor gave me a cortisone shot. The relief was almost instantaneous (well, within 24 hours) but the freeze persisted. So I got another cortisone shot a month later. That did the trick, together with regular physio and exercises.

All the best with your course of treatment, Tony. I'm sure your physiotherapist will set you on the road to recovery.
 
I had a frozen shoulder after a motorbike accident ( broken collar bone as well )

It took me 15 months to get what I would call normal use again
Was doing DIY physiotherapy , Just kept forcing my arm higher and hight and worked through the pain

All back to normal now :)
 
Frozen shoulder sounds like it could be a vague stab at the problem.
Very few seem to know or do anything about the muscles.

I'm very impressed by the guy who does my deep tissue massage.

He really knows how everything connects and has improved my not so bad body very well.

Worked wonders on the other half who has all sorts wrong with her, starting with ME, crumbling spine and various others.

He opened up a world of understanding for me with the way muscles influence other parts of the body.

Classic was my left knee made better by heavy duty massage of the calf

I recommend trying to find one

I found physios ok but very limited
 
Adhesive Capsulitis is caused by scar tissue in the shoulder joint. It's not a muscular thing.

It's not clear why the tissue forms but its effects are well understood, viewable on MRIs and respond to physio and steroids with varying levels of efficacy.
 
I don't know if "frozen shoulder" is the same. I suffered of what the doctor called shoulder calcification. I couldn't move the shoulder and had suffered of a great pain. No cure and no medical knowledge of the causes to this phenomenon.

I don't like physiotherapy. In my experience it is not a good solution. I do like osteopathic - I think it is much better and much more professional to help to cure a problem with bones.

Arye
 
Could it be aggravated by the riding position on your bikes?
IIUC frozen shoulder isn't something generally associated with cycling or other similar activities.

I've had brief episodes of shoulder pain, but clearly muscular rather than in the joint. I put it down to being old. Intense exercise usually makes things better.

Paul
 
Bad posture which causes weak shoulder blades which in turn causes clunks and pops in the shoulder as the small sub scapular muscle which holds the shoulder blade to the rib cage is over stretched and weakened and can't hold your sholder join in its right position while moving which has a knock on effect on your AC joint which causes pain when sleeping on your side and it can cause frozen shoulder over time.
 
Forgot to say

Reason I wanted Hayden (deep tissue guy) to work on me was for my left shoulder. Problems caused by being knocked off my bike and doing a face plant on the road. Nicely mashed helmet and graze up the side of my face

He says I have some sort of tissue separation from the shoulder blade, but he still made it better.

That problem was coming and going and first thought was the cycling.
Past few weeks I've been in the car a lot due to ice on the road.
Shoulder became painful again
So next diagnosis - it's my posture at work
 
True frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a problem of the shoulder joint capsule. It is usually idiopathic - happens for no apparent reason - though, as you say, being a diabetic is one of the risk factors. The condition typically follows a pattern of three stages: increasing pain with little restriction of movement, then pain and severe restriction of movement (the 'frozen' stage), and finally little pain and considerable but resolving restriction of movement. These stages can take up to eighteen months. There is not much that can be done to speed up this process, though plenty to help with the pain. Inadequate pain control is not sign of manliness and adequate pain control is not going to make the condition worse or cause you to inadvertently damage yourself.

Many other conditions can cause shoulder pain and are sometimes erroneously labeled as 'frozen shoulder'. This is often when treatments are successful. It's worth trying physiotherapy if it's offered.

The NHS website has a good overview: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Frozen-shoulder/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Good luck, it can be quite nasty for some people, relatively benign for others.
 
Hmm, I'm not looking forward to another 15 months of it I have to admit. The lack of movement is ridiculous, as is the pain if one tries to exceed what little is there. I can only lift my arm out to the side to about an 8 o'clock position, maybe 8:30. I'm just grateful I can still cycle, it's actually one of the few positions it's comfortable in! I'd hate to lose a year of doing that and I'd be back as a fat bastard if I did. Playing the bass really hurts, I can only manage about 5 minutes or so, though I might be able to find a better position (I usually just sit cross-legged in front of the TV). Sleeping isn't too good either as it keeps waking me up - I'd hate to have this if I had a proper day job and had to be places on time etc, at least I can sleep when I like/multiple times a day if I'm tired. Not got a date for the physio yet. I'll be interested to see what that brings.
 
Hmm, I'm not looking forward to another 15 months of it I have to admit. The lack of movement is ridiculous, as is the pain if one tries to exceed what little is there. I can only lift my arm out to the side to about an 8 o'clock position, maybe 8:30. I'm just grateful I can still cycle, it's actually one of the few positions it's comfortable in! I'd hate to lose a year of doing that and I'd be back as a fat bastard if I did. Playing the bass really hurts, I can only manage about 5 minutes or so, though I might be able to find a better position (I usually just sit cross-legged in front of the TV). Sleeping isn't too good either as it keeps waking me up - I'd hate to have this if I had a proper day job and had to be places on time etc, at least I can sleep when I like/multiple times a day if I'm tired. Not got a date for the physio yet. I'll be interested to see what that brings.

I had physical therapy for frozen shoulder in November/December 2013 after causing injury to my shoulder in June of that year. The one thing that surprised me in PT was that I was babying the shoulder. I quickly found out that all the excersises and stretches where to take you well into where it was painful.

The sessions with the PT where he performed various manipulations were the closest I ever came to torture. I still don't have 100% of my flexibility back as well as the strength I once had but the pain is long gone its effect it had on my sleep.
 
Tony,

Some things I'd recommend:

Pilates to strengthen your core and improve flexibility.
Shoulder rolls may help free it up.
Tai Chi to free up your energy flow in your body
Accupuncture if you can find a good person (NHS does do this too but may ahve to wait)
Posture if you sit at a desk a lot (look at monitor vs neck position and head angle)
Look into massage and any muscle knots in and around the should area.
Nerve glides may help YT will have some good videos I am sure on this.

I had a RSI a few years ago and sorted myself out and also woke to a few things which has changed view of the world.

I can also offer you a Skype distant healing session and some extra advice or ideas to try if interested. I have a few testimonials from people with similar issues with upper limb disorders, if this is something you wish to trial FOC.

Good luck getting yourself back into balance.
 


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