Can a Frozen Shoulder Thaw Out?

I have noticed lately an increased number of my patients here in the Salt Lake City area that present with severe shoulder pain and restricted range of motion.  This condition is known as Adhesive Capsulitis or “Frozen Shoulder” and is a fairly common malady. The causes are varied and can develop following some kind of trauma or just randomly occur.  Whatever the cause, it is painful and can be debilitating and the treatment is challenging.

Chiropractors and other manual therapist have traditionally treated Frozen Shoulder with a series of range of motion exercises and stretches along with other modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation and cold laser treatment. There has not been much evidence to support or refute the use of these treatments and there is no clear consensus on how or when to apply different therapies.

I recently read a research paper on a case study of treatment of Adhesive Capsulitis. This was reported in the Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy in February 2012.  The researchers reviewed the treatment of a patient that presented with a classic case of Frozen Shoulder.  They initially treated with the standard stretches and exercises and manipulation focusing on the shoulder joint itself but after 10 visits there was only minimal improvement in the pain and range of motion. Next they added Thoracic spine manipulation to the treatment protocol and after only 4 visits, they noted substantial improvement in the pain and range of motion.

I believe this case is significant in that it shows that Chiropractic adjustment applied to the Thoracic spine can be effective in “thawing out” a Frozen Shoulder. If you or someone you is suffering from this type of shoulder pain, come see us at The Joint Cottonwood Heights in Utah for evaluation and treatment to see if we can help.

~ Dr. Brad Hendricks

Tips to keep your New Year's Resolutions

According to many reports, here are the some of the most common New Year’s resolutions:

•         Lose Weight

•         Get Fit

•         Quit Smoking

•         Learn Something New

•         Eat Healthier

•         Get Out of Debt and Save Money

•         Spend More Time with Family

•         Travel

•         Be Less Stressed

•         Volunteer

•         Drink Less

I'm sure that at one time or another, most of us have resolved to make changes in at least some of these areas.  Unfortunately, studies also show that these same resolutions are frequently broken.  The answer is not to stop making resolutions but is to figure out ways to accomplish your goals.  Helping Salt Lake City residents achieve their health goals is a very rewarding part of my job as a chiropractor in Utah.  Here are a few tips to help you achieve your goals and resolutions.

1.      Make it something that you really want.  Don't make a goal that you really aren't committed to or one that you think you 'should' do. Make it meaningful to you.

2.      Be specific.  Instead of just making a goal to 'Lose Weight', make a goal for example to lose 20 pounds by April 1^st, and then have a plan that breaks it up into daily, weekly and monthly tasks that will 'baby step' you to the end goal.

3.      Limit your list of resolutions to a number that is easier to handle.  This helps focus your efforts on the things you really want.

4.      Allow yourself to fail.  If your goal is something you really want and you have a specific plan, don't throw it all away if you mess up a few times.  Just realize that it is hard to change some habits and if you cannot perfectly follow your plan doesn't mean that you have to quit working at it. Just re-commit yourself and restart.

5.      Write down your specific goals and visualize them regularly.  As you write down your goals, put them in a prominent place that you will see frequently, this will help you keep visualizing the completed goal.

6.      Involve friends and family.  Having someone hold you accountable is a great way to stay on track. Changing your diet or exercising is easier if you have someone to act as a coach or cheerleader for you and you for them.

The bottom line is that whether you have succeeded or failed at keeping resolutions in the past, the new year is always a natural time to re-assess your life and try to make a few positive changes.  Here at The Joint in Salt Lake City, we hope that you will make it a goal to keep your spine and joints healthier, and we are here to help you by making it convenient and affordable to get regular chiropractic adjustments.

~ Dr. Hendricks