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Out of the Deep Freeze

Adhesive capsulitis (“frozen shoulder”) involves inflammation of the shoulder’s normally smooth lining, which leads to scar tissue that renders the shoulder too stiff to move. This condition may occur due to prolonged inactivity caused by an injury, illness, or surgery, particularly among patients wearing a shoulder sling for a long period. Most become aware of a frozen shoulder due to pain that limits movement and increases stiffness. Eventually, reaching for an item on a high shelf becomes a difficult (if not impossible) task. Physical therapy is the most common treatment for frozen shoulder, the goal of which is to stretch the shoulder joint and strengthen its tendons. Results maybe seen anywhere from a few weeks to nine months later.