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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I have a frozen shoulder? While there is no exact way to determine that beyond a medical exam, there are several signs and symptoms in many cases such as:
What is the best way to treat a frozen shoulder? You must mange the pain by avoiding painful activities and use anti-inflammatory medications if approved & recommended by your physician. Beyond that, heat, ice and very specific stretching and range of motion exercises must be done to prevent further motion loss and help regain the movement that has been lost. As pain subsides, selective strengtheinig exercises should be done to restore proper shoulder function.
How long does it take to get better? This may vary depending on whether you have other problems (arthritis, rotator cuff tendonitis, bursitis) and your pain levels. I have seen cases resolve within a few months, while others have persisted for 2 + years. But, you can make the entire process more manageable and resolve faster by applying my exercises during the three stages of the condition.
How quickly can I expect to see results with your program? In most cases, you should notice some improvement within a few weeks. Often, the progress is steady and may come in spurts. It is also strongly related to your pain tolerance and adherence to the frequency of exercise that is prescribed in my book. As the frozen shoulder may take months and months to resolve, you must be persistent and patient with the exercises. With that said, I expect most poeple to begin seeing good progress during the first 1-2 weeks.
Should I move my shoulder even if it hurts? Yes. The worst thing you can do is quit moving and using the arm. This will only make the pain and stiffness even worse. So, the best thing to do is work within your pain tolerance and try to move it a bit more each day. With that said, I do not recommend heavy lifting or forcing the shoulder through extreme ranges of motion, as this typically increases inflammation and prolongs your recovery.
What can I do besides stretching and range of motion exercise? I advocate using moist heat to loosen the shoulder up and reduce pain, especially before exercise, while using ice after exercise or at the end of the day serves to decrease inflammation related to use and increased activity. Icing before bed is also a good idea to improve sleep. Don't worry about the ice making the shoulder stiffer. Icing the shoulder attacks the inflammation which causes the pain with movement.
Can I print out the manual? Yes. It is less than 50 pages long. You may be thinking that is not very long. However, I packed a ton of info into each page (not much open space just to make it longer) and I gave you exactly what you need to solve your problem without a lot of extra fluff. So, even if you don't like e-books, you can easily print it out and put it in a 3 ring binder of your own and refer to it all the time.
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