Frozen shoulder

Coping & Support
1

Anyone dealing with frozen shoulders?

I broke my back last July in a boating accident.  Since then, the back is fine, my bloodsugars are fine but I can barely lift my shoulders.  They said I've accelerated this complication due to my back sugery (put 4 steal rods in and took a rib to rebuild my vertebrate).  Physical therapy is suppose to last a bit - a year!!!!

I wanted to know if therapy is the way too go or is there anything else?

2

Ann,

I have frozen shoulder - Diabetic Capsulitus as well.

It seems to have all started when I had an injury to my neck a few years back.

I just recently researched it to find out what I had. I thought for a time that my shoulder was dislocated, it was that painful. I have to stratigically arrange pillows at night to even sleep!

If I rotate my shoulders backward I hear this awful grinding noise. It has become difficult to take my shirt off.

My whole body is starting to feel like my shoulder. It seems to be in all of my joints.

 It has certainly given me compassion for those who are elderly with their aches and pains!

If you go to this website and type in frozen shoulder it may help. The article is by Richard K. Bernstein, M.D.

www.diabetes-normalsugars.com

Hope to hear back from you,

Miriam "Mimi"

 

3

I'm so glad you asked.  I was about to post a similar question.

I have been dealing with frozen shoulders for about 18 months.  It started with my left shoulder and I'm not really sure which came first, the frozen shoulder or the torn rotator cuff, but I had surgery back in 2007 to repair.  My shoulder became horribly frozen post surgery and I ended up having it manipulated under anesthesia.  I still have to arrange pillows under it to sleep at night.  My Ortho surgeon suggested I sleep in a recliner....forever!  I'm just not willing to do that. 

About a year after the left shoulder issue, I started experiencing pain in my right shoulder.  I had a torn labrum and it was partially frozen.  After surgery, it became completely frozen and I had a manipulation on the right shoulder in Nov '08.

So, both my shoulders are still painful, somewhat frozen, and very weak.  My massage therapist calls it 'Diabetic shoulder' and has several Diabetic clients suffering from the same issue.  I find that deep tissue massage helps along with PT.  I do not recommend having the manipulation done unless you are not progressing with PT.  I'm also considering trying acupuncture to see if that provides any additional relief.

Good luck!

4

Lisa,

I have read that frozen shoulder usually is on the dominant side, but I am right handed and it started on my left side first.

Is this your case too? 

Miriam

 

 

 

 

 

5

Actually, I am left handed, so it did start on my dominant side.  However, now that both of them are frozen, the right one bothers me more.  Strange, huh?

 

~Lisa

6

Mine started on my right - the dominant.  But my physical therapist checked on the left and realized it was happening there too.   I've been going for the last 3 months to massage therapy and that does seem to work.  As with everything, you have good and bad days.  In 3 months I am getting more mobility back in my arms, which is great! 

I'm not really looking forward to anymore surgery, so I think I'll take the motrin 800s and therapy for a while before we have to look at other options.

It's so nice to hear (and unfortuneate) about others!!

 

Ann

7

Hi Ann

I'm sorry to hear about your challenges!

I'm currently dealing with frozen shoulder following bursitis. It's been in my left shoulder for a lil' over 18 months now (non dominant)...and I'm feeling this awful twinge in my right shoulder that I'm not all too happy about!

I had a corticosteroid injection in the shoulder one year ago. NEVER AGAIN...it was fortunate that I didn't end up in hospital with DKA. During the past 12 months, I've had so much grievance with my blood sugars and retinopathy.

Since the injection, I've had a combination of therapies including physio (as it's called here in Australia), acupuncture, myofascial release (MFR) and massage. I find that the MFR and acupuncture have proven to be most helpful in my situation. But am told to be patient and perseverant as this condition can take up to 2 years to resolve :/ Apparently, having diabetes makes progress slower (according to my sports physician).

Mari

8

I'm interested to see this as I am seeing a physical therapist for a rotator cuff problem - tendonitis, etc.  She mentioned diabetics often have trouble with their shoulders, but I wasn't that convinced until I read this.

It's my right shoulder, which is my dominant shoulder, but about 8 years ago I had problems with my other shoulder from always carrying my briefcase/laptop on that one.

Pain is bleah.

Wendy