frozen shoulder

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moonlily1013
moonlily1013 Posts: 2
in Fitness and Exercise
Any ideas for exercises for someone with a frozen shoulder. This is my second one in a little over a year. I have a hard time getting dressed, washing my hair, reaching behind me. I need some exercises for all over body as well as for my shoulder.

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  • moonlily1013
    moonlily1013 Posts: 2
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    Any ideas for exercises for someone with a frozen shoulder. This is my second one in a little over a year. I have a hard time getting dressed, washing my hair, reaching behind me. I need some exercises for all over body as well as for my shoulder.
  • rheston
    rheston Posts: 638
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    Whoa, that's tough. Without knowing how much range of motion you have or don't have it's hard to give you suggestions. I'm recovering from three torn ligaments that had to be reattached in my shoulder and I was warned about letting things go slack and having what you have. You're probably already familiar with these: http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_frozshou_rex.htm

    I am just getting started on range of motion without resistance but I'm probably going to start out using very low end weights so that I can begin toning my muscles in both shoulders and upper body equally. I would suggest, depending on the amount of resistance you have and pain you experience is that you do the exercises recommended but with a two pound weight until you get a greater range of motion.

    Do you have some range of motion that you can do like being able to bend at the waist and taking the arm with a weight and (from a bent elbow position) extend it backward without any difficulty? If you can do something like this that will take care of the triceps. If you can bend your arm at the elbow then curls will work to build the biceps. Again from a bent over position if you can take weights in both hands and pull your arms out parallel to the floor and back again that will take care of the shoulders.
  • Cherylann402
    Cherylann402 Posts: 56
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    Maybe some yoga? I do yoga and you can go into the poses as much or as little as you can. It may help to loosen your shoulder up?

    Also, you could walk on the treadmill, you don't have to use your shoulder at all for that.
  • ariannedavis
    ariannedavis Posts: 520 Member
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    Getting your range of motion is critical. You can't strengthen until you have increased this or else you will simply be really strong in the limited range you have.

    Stretching: Internal rotation- bend your elbow at you hip and keep the upper arm glued next to your body. stand with your lower arm/wrist/hand against a door jamb and turn so your hand comes in toward your belly button. External rotation- same position, only turn away from your hand (these will be the toughest two motions to get back, so keep working on them).

    Forward flexion: put your forearm/hand on the back of a couch or other high backed object and work on squatting down while keeping the arm up. Extension: same thing, only turn around so that your back is to the couch back and dip down. Abduction: Still same position only your arm is straight out to your side & dip down.

    If you can get some 1 inch PVC pipe and make a T-bar, hold the short T portion in your hand and use the length of it with your unaffected arm to help force the stretch a bit farther.

    Pulleys are AMAZING for this. Get creative and throw something over a door; close the door so that it anchors but allow your to glide a rope up and down; grab hold. Mini-ladders are also very effective. Imagine walking your fingers up a set of ladder rungs. In PT clinics, they are attached to walls and have enough of a "rung" that you can rest and not drop your arm in exhaustion or pain. Even if you can't create this, work on walking your hand away from your body in all different positions. Sit with a table surface at armpit level & walk away!

    Hope these get you started!
    Good luck :flowerforyou:

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