I had a frozen shoulder years ago.

Yes, it is extremely painful and the physical therapy is extremely painful. The therapist I went to told me it was the most painful of all physical problems he treated.

I went for quite some time to the PT and of course always took meds before going because I knew it would be extremely painful. I'd cry and cry it hurt so bad.

Well, we got to the point that he told me if I didn't improve soon he would send me back to my ortho to discuss the surgery. I did some checking around myself and discovered that all they really do in surgery is take that arm and crack it around to break up the tissue. And then...you still have to go back to PT for therapy after the surgery.

So I thought about that and decided one night I was going to try and do it myself. I took meds ahead of time. And I stood in my kitchen and literally forced my arm where it didn't want to go.

Oh my god...the tearing and cracking and ripping noises were incredible. And it was extremely painful. (I had my daughter come over to be with me when I did it because I wasn't sure if I might pass out or not.) However! when my next PT appt came, the therapist was shocked and told me it would have taken a long time to get that motion back.

So we progressed from there and I eventually got complete motion back. My goal was to be able to hook my bra again.

My left arm has nearly as good a range of motion as my right (lol which has limitation because of the rotator cuff surgery I had). But they are both pretty darned good. I continue to do excercise with it so that it doesn't happen again.

I would not want to continue with the frozen shoulder pain. And I didn't, it was unbearable, so I did everything I could to make it go away. It is so very debilitating.

It was VERY painful! I hated having a frozen shoulder!

Um...did I mention it's painful?

OMG Doody how did you break it by yourself

*watching monitor with one eye shielded*

Sending for Mikey. (sorry Mikey they are one armed hugs with my good arm ) Sure hope you are feeling a bit better soon.

(Grabbing Shelley and shaking in my boots!)

Did you read what Doody did?

I about fainted just reading it!

I'm a baby and couldn't do that!

So in case the rest of you haven't guessed....I too have the old frozen shoulder.

Going on 2 years now...very slowly getting better.

to all!

I think Doody meant she forced the shoulder & arm beyond the frozen range of motion and probably tore and cracked the scar tissue loose, not that she actually broke her shoulder bone.

Hey everybody...

Hi Shelley, Welcome Taffy, and Doody....

I guess I always thought I was the only one with this ! Nice to met ya Taffy.. Hope you have success soon.. 2 years is a long time...

Mike/Ellen.. please hang in there MF and I hope you get well soon !

Jo55 hi there ...

Doody ! Wow.. you have guts to do that !! I am almost at 180 ( 160 as of today)and I know I couldn't do that .. but I am sure that you are feeling much better now that it is all broken up ( adhesions)...

Hope everyone has a great Labopr Day weekend and it is somewhat pain free !!

Hugs to everyone......

Dolfinz

Sorry, yes, that's what I did. I haven't reread my post, sorry if it sounds like I broke my shoulder, LOL! NO, didn't do that. And my rotator cuff was a few years later (just 3 years ago, now that really hurt too!).

I did. I forced myself beyond that 'frozen range' of motion. Tore and cracked the scar tissue loose. When my PT told me that was what they would do in surgery, I nearly fell over. He was pretty darned graphic about it. So I just figured, maybe I could give it a try and do what I could do.

So yes, I literally started twirling my arm in circles, closed my eyes and swung! Snap, crackle and pop is literally how it sounded. And yes, it was painful. I think when I went down on my knees (LOL) I said over and over and over, OMG, OMG,. (I warmed up my shoulder before... did my stretching exercises and put moist heat on it as well.)

But I already hurt so bad anyway, I just couldn't stand it anymore. That frozen shoulder crap is just awful. And the less you use that arm, the worse it's going to get.

My PT told me that it's very common in the elderly because they stop using their normal range of motion.

Actually, the range of motion in my left arm (the frozen shoulder arm) is as good as my right arm (the one I had surgery on for my messed up rotator cuff - ripped it shooting hoops with kids and I knew immediately I had severely injured myself - fell to my knees with the pain).

I'm feelin for you guys! OW!!!!!

I hope you are at least doing the stretching exercises, like where you walk your hand up and down a wall.

I am not saying any of you should try what I did! It's just that it is what I did. I took a chance and it worked.