Treating Adhesive Capsulitis/Frozen Shoulder/Locked Shoulder

If you have a frozen shoulder, it's very important to heal it quickly and completely. Minimizing the healing time should be an obvious goal, as a chronic frozen shoulder will limit your ability to go about your daily routine for a long period of time. A seemingly small build up of trigger points in your shoulder muscles not properly cared for can lead to a chronic painful frozen shoulder injury that can persist for months or even years once adhesions begin to build.

The more inflexible your shoulder joint becomes, the more likely your joint will wind up permanently worsened due to chronic pain and increased adhesions in the joint. Adhesions means that your shoulder joint will not perform as well as it once did and it makes it much more prone to injury later on (long term pain is a common issue with frozen shoulder oftentimes even after surgical intervention). This is why it is massively important to deal with this injury properly right from the start. Heal it completely and fast to avoid a chronic injury.

Frozen Shoulder is the catastrophe that often happens after a shoulder impingement injury is left untreated. True frozen shoulder requires a physician to diagnose, and there are three major signs* for diagnosing this condition:

• Insidious shoulder stiffness
• Severe pain, even at night
• Nearly a complete loss of passive and active external rotation of the shoulder

Frozen Shoulder is the one more misunderstood musculoskeletal conditions. The common belief is that Frozen Shoulder is idiopathic in nature (meaning, it does not have a true cause). While this may be true to a certain extent, there are a number of risk factors for developing the condition that people need to be aware of.

• Have you re-injured your shoulder by returning to work too quickly?
• How many times in the past have you aggravated your shoulder just trying to perform basic tasks around the home?
• Is your debilitated shoulder preventing you from work or activities you love to do?

Most people we deal with tell us these scenarios have happened to them many times in the past. The real challenge is how do you promote blood flow to the shoulder injury site without causing further injury? This goal is further complicated by the fact the shoulder (and muscles controlling the shoulder joint) are involved in the majority of the physical movements we perform each day.

An injury to one shoulder muscle can easily lead to straining in other areas, making an overall recovery hard to initiate. For example, a serious muscle strain in the right rotator cuff can often lead to overstraining of the left rotator cuff. Most commonly, the injury occurs on the dominant side, so the risk of straining the other (weaker) side increases. The longer the injury (and corresponding pain) persists, the greater the chance that you will sustain more strain from overcompensation, eventually leading to issues in those areas as well. To minimize potential secondary injuries, know that it is important to deal with your muscle injury quickly and completely.

If you exhibit any of these Frozen Shoulder risk factors, then you need to increase your awareness of the condition and more importantly, take early steps to help prevent the condition from developing.

Risk Factors for Developing Frozen Shoulder

Diabetes:

Approximately 20% of diabetics will develop one or more Frozen Shoulders during their lifetime. This compares to only 2% of the non-diabetic general population according to the American Academy of Orthopedic surgeons. A ten times greater risk factor is truly significant.

While researchers are still trying to determine exactly why diabetics are prone to Frozen Shoulder, there are some theories with scientific backing that help to make the determination.

One theory involves the metabolism of glucose and its affect on collagen. First of all, collagen is one of the main building blocks of soft tissue such as ligaments and tendons. The ligaments stabilize the joint by holding the bones in place while tendons connect the muscles to the bone, allowing for proper muscle function and also greater stability of the joint.

As we know, diabetics are unable to properly metabolize glucose. A simple sugar that provides fuel for all tissue in the body, glucose is critical for numerous metabolic functions.

In diabetics, it has been shown that glucose will attach itself to collagen tissue, in particular within the shoulder. While not fully understood why the shoulder is targeted, it does happen and the abnormal build-up of glucose on the collagen causes the shoulder to stiffen.

In a healthy body, collagen fibers normally move in concert with one another during movement of the muscle. In the case of diabetics, glucose binds the collagen fibers together (almost like a glue substance) and this limits the extensibility of the fiber.

This phenomenon is known as Glycosylation. The immobilization of the collagen fibers causes the shoulder to freeze and limit functional ability of the shoulder overall.

Age & Gender

Frozen Shoulder predominantly affects middle aged women between the ages of 40 and 60.

Trauma to Shoulder or Arm

Individuals who sustain a traumatic shoulder injury or undergo shoulder surgery are at risk for developing frozen shoulder.

Following these scenarios, the shoulder joint will be immobilized for a number of weeks. During this time, the body naturally makes an attempt to begin healing itself by producing a weak form of collagen (scar tissue) to help fuse the torn/cut tissue and to lay in place the foundation to heal.

Problems arise when the injured tissue (through immobilization) fails to receive the enhanced blood flow it needs to properly grow new, healthy tissue. As a result, the scar tissue continues to build to unprecedented levels.

Eventually, the accumulation of scar tissue will bond to healthy tissue within the joint capsule - and such bonds further restrict movement of the shoulder.

AutoImmune Disorders & Thyroid Issues

Hyperthyroid patients and those dealing with autoimmune disorders produce excess amounts of cytokines (chemical messengers) along with excess fibrous connective tissue - two factors that could lead to the development of Frozen Shoulder.

Cytokines play a pivotal role in the generation and management of immune and inflammatory responses. When produced in excess amounts, the body (and specifically, the immune system) are thrown into chaos.

What results is an abnormal immune response of the body against tissues found throughout the body, including the shoulder. In essence, the immune system can not differentiate between normal and abnormal substances and sets itself on a course of self-destruction. Over time, the shoulder joint capsule can slowly weaken and break down, leading to stiffness and general weakness of the shoulder.

What is interesting is that one portion of the immune system is attacking the body while other segments of the immune system will attempt to heal the damage that is being done. The end result is an excess build-up of fibrous tissue that once again - bonds to healthy tissue and causes loss in range of motion - the Frozen Shoulder so to speak.

As mentioned in the homepage, hyperthyroid suffers produce an excess amount of a hormone critical in the metabolic function of the body. When excess amounts of this hormone is produced, the body is unable to properly metabolize it and an autoimmune response ensues (inflammation and breakdown of healthy tissue).

On the other end of the spectrum, there is a segment of Frozen Shoulder sufferers who are hypothyroid - meaning their bodies do not produce enough of the hormone.

Hypothyroidism results from the thyroid gland being unable to make enough hormones, which causes many of the body's functions to slow down. Included is the ability of the body to remodel damaged muscle and connective tissue. The body lacks the fuel it needs to heal - resulting in a long recovery process, especially in the case of Frozen Shoulder.

These potential risk factors should be looked at immediately, no matter what stage of Frozen Shoulder you are in.

You need to strongly recognize that if left untreated or improperly treated, frozen shoulder will typically last about 24 months. You will suffer through three distinct phases (sometimes called "3 stages of frozen shoulder"). If certain simple measures are taken, recovery can be accelerated. * Nearly all patients recover from frozen shoulder, but many often recover with a permanently reduced Range of Motion (ROM).

* Dias R, Cutts S, Massoud S. Frozen shoulder. BMJ?: British Medical Journal. 2005;331(7530):1453-1456.

3 Stages of Frozen Shoulder

It is important to know the stage you are currently in, as there are contraindications dependent on each stage. Many people ask of us: "How Long Does Frozen Shoulder Last"? The answer is that it is different for everyone but it can often take up to two years to resolve. If certain measures are taken (as described further down the page), recovery can be accelerated. Nearly all patient recover from Frozen Shoulder, but many often recover with permanently reduced Range of Motion. Don't let this happen to you. The 3 phases of Frozen Shoulder are as follows:

• Freezing Stage - Significant Pain, Inflammation in the Joint Capsule, Reduced Range of Motion
  Pain and stiffness build around the shoulder with nagging constant pain that worsens at night. Even though you take NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), they don't make any difference (as they do not address what is happening - a breakdown of tissue within the joint capsule and gradual build-up of scar tissue). This stage will last between 3 and 8 months.
• Frozen Stage - Scar Tissue is Very Significant and Range of Motion is Quite Limited. Movements are Painful to Attempt
  In this stage, the pain has decreased but the stiffness does not go away. In fact, constriction in the shoulder increases greatly. Pain flares up when you move your arm near the extremes. External rotation ability is severely compromised. This stage will last between 4 months and 1 year.
• Thawing Stage - You Finally Begin to Regain Range of Motion Long Term
  Assuming you have been focusing on treatments designed to address the source of Frozen Shoulder, you will eventually begin to "thaw" your Frozen Shoulder. Slowly but gradually, movement in the shoulder will return with a decrease in pain when utilizing movements. The stage will last from 4 months to 1 or more years

So many of our clients have achieved their goal of overcoming their frozen shoulder condition so quickly that it often even surprises us! The biggest key to their success is understanding their frozen shoulder disease (this includes getting a proper diagnosis, as misdiagnosis is common for the shoulder), learning what activities they should be undertaking, what activities they should be avoiding, and what treatment combinations they should be using.

Before YOU decide on a treatment path, an understanding on the three major stages of the healing process is critical. With the right knowledge and the right treatment options, you can accelerate your shoulder recovery without the fear of re-injury or setbacks (which unfortunately, happens to many people - we will explain why further down the page).

Steps for Treating Frozen Shoulder

Step 1: Reduce Pain & Inflammation

Inflammation is the body's natural response to a ligament, tendon, muscle (or ANY soft tissue) injury and is a normal part of the healing process - helping to reduce tissue infection in the early stages of injury. Swelling, pain, heat sensation, redness, and loss of function are the main symptoms experienced.

The combination of cold and static compression is the gold standard in medicine for minimizing tissue damage and reducing inflammation in the acute stage of injury or activity. It serves as a critical bridge into next phase of the healing process.

Step 2: Enhance Blood Flow to the Shoulder Joint Capsule

Ligaments and tendons are considered dense soft tissue. As a result, they naturally receive quite limited blood flow and this is precisely why injuries to these tissues take so long to heal. The challenge is, how do you effectively increase blood flow to soft tissue?

Heat energy generated by the TShellz Wraps^® operate by increasing blood flow in our injured soft tissue. This means ligaments, muscles, and tendons. The objective of the TShellz Wrap^® is to increase blood flow in these targeted areas, resulting in relaxation of the vessel walls. The vessels then gently expand, allowing for more nutrient rich blood flow along with extra oxygen to reach the damaged tissues. Plus, the enhanced blood flow helps in flushing waste and fluid build-up from the injury site - further enhancing the ability of the body to heal.

This results in relaxation of the vessel walls. The vessels then gently expand, allowing for more nutrient rich blood flow along with extra oxygen to reach the damaged tissues. Plus, the enhanced blood flow helps in flushing waste and fluid build-up from the injury site - further enhancing the ability of the body to heal.

With a TShellz Wrap^® application, more blood begins to flow effectively to soft tissue within the body - for the length of the treatment and a short duration thereafter. Your damage tissue relies on lots of blood flow to heal as it is through the blood the body carries the oxygen and nutrients needed for proper and long-term healing.

The Shoulder TShellz Wrap^® = Enhanced Blood Flow for the Shoulder

Step 3: Recognize That Healing is a Process

With dedication, the right tools, and the right information - you will achieve your goal of a sustainable recovery while minimizing scar tissue growth and maximizing your range of motion. When it comes to frozen shoulder, our goal is to do everything we can to get rid of your condition as soon as possible while winding up with no loss of Range of Motion (ROM); remember that permanent loss of ROM is a common issue with frozen shoulder sufferers even after their frozen shoulder has completely healed. A combination approach of cold compression, TShellz Wraps^®, stretches and proper support will give you the best chance of recovering fast, fully and without ROM loss. True, effective healing will differ from person to person, but we have witnessed that best results come from those that take a comprehensive, dedicated approach.

If you have questions, call our office at 1-866-237-9608 (toll free continental US).

Who Should Use the Shoulder TShellz Wrap^®

We recommend the use of a Shoulder TShellz Wrap^®:

• If you have bursitis, tendinitis or other soft tissue damage in your shoulder, then the Shoulder TShellz Wrap^® will provide the all-important function of boosting blood circulation where it is needed most.
• If you are dealing with soft tissue conditions affecting your range of motion.
• If you have a chronic soft tissue shoulder condition that has lasted for years- this device is intended to kick start the recovery process and help strengthen the surrounding and supporting tissues.
• If you have tight or shortened shoulder tissue that are a high risk of strain- this device is designed to heat tissue - a known and proven way to increase length, elasticity and flexibility of muscles, tendons and ligaments. The TShellz Wrap^® is basically a home treatment device to reduce your risk of incurring further soft tissue strain.
• If you are still working with a shoulder strain or mild tear, the TShellz Wrap^® will help relax tissue in the shoulder prior to work and after a day at the job.
• If you are still trying to enjoy your favorite activities such as gardening, tennis, golf, etc - use the TShellz Wrap^® prior to activity to help reduce risk of re-injuring or re-aggravating those targeted tissues.
• If you are suffering from bursitis and want to treat a major source of it (inflammation and damage to tissue surrounding the bursa sac). Through trauma, overuse or degenerative changes, muscle and tendons surrounding the bursa sacs will tighten and constrict. When they do, they place pressure on the bursa, causing it to become irritated. Applying a TShellz Wrap^® to the area will help relax tissue in the treatment area, taking pressure off the bursa.
• If you are experiencing atrophy in your shoulder and want to reduce the chance of re-injury while stretching - this is a perfect treatment to use every time before you stretch.
• If you have been to a clinic for some form of massage or stretching and your PT or physician has recommended conservative treatments for home.
• If you are experiencing atrophy in your shoulder and want to reduce the chance of re-injury (or further injury) while stretching - this is a perfect treatment to use on a regular basis, by enhancing blood flow and elongating soft tissue.
• If you are experiencing tightness in your muscle(s) and want to reduce the chance of re-injury while stretching - we recommend the use of a TShellz Wrap^® before you stretch.

Make Sure That Complete Healing is Your #1 Goal

We all know that if the injury was healed, the pain would go away but what about the opposite situation? If the pain is gone, does that mean the injury is better? Unfortunately, this is not always true.

Too many people only focus on suppressing pain symptoms while providing less attention to the true healing aspects of the body. Experiencing less pain, while obviously a good short-term goal, never equates to underlying healing. Scar tissue can remain for months after one gets to a point of being relatively pain-free. However, as long the weak and brittle scar tissue remains, you are susceptible to re-injury or re-aggravation. Certain motions or movements can cause the weaker tissue to easily tear - resulting in some reversal of the recovery up until that point.

This is why we recommend for people to continue with their doctor or therapist recommended exercises and to continue with mild treatments of the TShellz Wrap^® for a period of time - to better ensure complete healing.

Ongoing treatments to enhance circulation will soothe, relax and generally allow your body to maintain good health in soft tissue . Shoulder T•Shellz treatments are also intended to warm the treatment area; when heat is applied to soft tissue it is known to become more flexible and extensible. The more extensible soft tissues is, the less likely it is to strain or sprain.

With regular use of the TShellz Wrap:

• Your pain will be reduced.
• Due to increased blood flow, your body's ability to recover from soft tissue damage will be maximized.
• Soft tissue in the treatment area will have a enhanced range of motion and increased extensibility of collagen tissue. (Chapter 9 of "Therapeutic Heat and Cold", 4th edition. (amazon.com link - Ed. Justus F. Lehmann, M.D., Williams, and Wilkin)

*Know that every personal soft tissue injury is unique and the TShellz Wrap may not work for everyone. This is why we offer a 60-day money back return on all our TShellz Wrap devices.

Yes, they are that good. See for yourself.

The TShellz Wraps^® are FDA Registered Class II Medical Devices, are suitable and completely safe for patients to use themselves at home (as instructed).

The TShellz Wrap^® Shell is very flexible and can mold around the contours of the joint, ensuring there is an even distribution of safe energy within the coverage area.

Once treatment is complete, you also have the option of tightening the straps to provide light compression support for your injured joint. You can also unplug the device from the power supply enabling you to move around the home, office or clinic freely and still use the wrap for support and comfort.

The TShellz Wrap^® is an effective treatment tool intended to maximize the body's recovery process. As a side benefit, you will also find it to be very comfortable to wear at any time.

We Stand Behind All Our Promises With An Iron-Clad Guarantee

Here at AidMyFrozenShoulder we pride ourselves in helping you with your healing and recovery process. Everyone at AidMyFrozenShoulder has tested and used the products. Dedication to our customers and our products goes hand-in-hand with our guarantees to you as a customer:

• Guarantee #1 Use your products diligently for up to 60 days and you will experience a significant reduction in pain. If you are committed to following the treatments outlined in the product instructions we are very confident that our TShellz Wraps will aid you immensely. If you do not receive the benefits that countless of our other customers have experienced from our products, call us for instructions to mail the product back so we can provide you with a full product refund.


• Guarantee #2 - You will not be left in the dark after purchasing any products from us. AidMyFrozenShoulder Advisers and Product Specialists are available 5 days a week by toll free phone 1-866-237-9608 or email to answer your questions or concerns.
• Guarantee #3 - Your order is guaranteed to be shipped within 24 hours on every business day.
• Guarantee #4 - All purchases receive a one year, full replacement warranty with guaranteed, prompt service.
• Guarantee #5 - You could save hundreds of dollars and possibly more, by utilizing our products, and getting back to work sooner.

We are very confident our TShellz Wraps^® and accessory products will assist you in recovering from your injury by reducing your swelling and inflammation induced pain, maximizing blood flow where it's needed most and increasing the flexibility / range of motion of your injured soft tissue.

Living with pain is never easy as it affects your entire lifestyle. Nothing is more important than making the proper decision when it comes to treating your shoulder. Most methods only mask the problems or provide temporary relief; they do not treat the pain at its source. AidMyFrozenShoulder stands out in this regard as our goal is to help you for the long term.

Or, Call Our Office. We are open Monday to Friday to allow you place an order over the phone. Simply call toll free 1-866-237-9608 to place an order with one of our knowledgeable Product Advisors. They have the ability to answer all your questions...ensuring you only receive the products you need.

If you choose to order through our online shop, know that we keep no credit card data on file. Once the transaction is completed, the credit information disappears from our internal systems.

As you can see, ordering from us is a very easy and safe process, no matter if choosing to order on-line or over the phone.

Are you still unsure about placing an order? let me address some questions that may causing some hesitation...

What is the success rate of the TShellz Wraps^®? Do they really work?

We try and keep in touch with a large percentage of our customers, and we encourage them to do the same. In doing so, we have received a lot of feedback as we have been in the business since 2008.

We can say that the return rate on our products is only around 5 to 10% any given month. That is exceptional by anyone's standards. Therefore, we can safely indicate that the overwhelming majority of people who purchase from us do achieve benefits with our products.

How much time do I need to dedicate for treatments? Are the products easy to use?

The TShellz Wraps^® are very easy devices to use. After one or two uses, you will engage in the treatments with ease. Very detailed instructions are included and you are always welcome to contact us by phone or email if the need for help arises.

In regards to the TShellz Wrap^®, it is ideal to use the device two or three times a day on average. Each treatment session is a maximum of 20 minutes in duration and the device will turn off automatically at that time. Typically, people use the TShellz Wrap^® before bed, upon awakening (or not long after) and one other time during the day when the opportunity presents itself. For people in an office setting, many will use the device at work (as it can be worn over clothing). For others, they will use the device an our or two after work.

As a comparison, a Cold Compress or Ice Pack would primarily be used following activity that stresses injured soft tissue (following work, after a sports activity, or just suffering a general re-injury). This is done to reduce inflammation and to minimize tissue damage.

How long has MendMeShop been in business

We established our firm in December of 2005. Our track record in this field continues to grow and we plan on being around for many decades to come.

What is your return policy? Is it the standard 30 days?

We go above and beyond what other companies offer - we offer a full 60 day money back guarantee with no restocking fees.

AidMyFrozenShoulder advisors do not work on commission, so be assured you will only receive fair and objective information. Remember: We recommend that you consult your doctor and/or physiotherapist before using any of our outstanding products, to make sure they're right for you and your condition.

Product Advisors are available 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time Monday to Friday.

Living with pain is never easy and we encourage you to call us with any questions you have related to your frozen shoulder. We will do our best to help.

I want to learn more about Frozen Shoulder Causes.

I want to learn more about TShellz Wrap^® Circulatory Boost

I want to learn more about Ice & Heat: Which Is Better For Treatment?

I want to learn more about Trigger Points.

I want to learn more about Frozen Shoulder Manipulation.

I want to learn more about Post Surgery Recovery?

During your recovery, you will probably have to modify and/or eliminate any activities that cause pain or discomfort at the location of your soft tissue injury until the pain and inflammation settle. The more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results!