How We Fix – Frozen Shoulder | Rotator Cuff Injury | Shoulder Pain

Melbourne Muscular Therapies – Richmond

written by – Aaron Kiegaldie – General Manager/Senior Practitioner

• Deep sustained Massage to Shoulder – Eliminate Pain
• Strengthen Shoulder
• Develop connection between upper/lower body – Glute to Shoulder Relationship

If you have suffered Frozen Shoulder or any form of Rotator Cuff /Shoulder Injury, you know how much it can impact daily life! Simple activities such as getting dressed, or reaching for something in the back seat of the car can be significantly debilitating and painful. More advanced movements and sporting activities can be near impossible if the injury or adhesiveness is severe. 

What is Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder, also known as Adhesive Capsulitis is a form of dysfunction that affects the joint capsule of the Glenohumeral Joint (Shoulder). This injury causes stiffness, pain and a limited range of motion within the shoulder. The injury comes on slowly, however can become severe if left untreated. Frozen Shoulder occurs due to inactivity of the shoulder/ lack of movement and can also arise following some forms of surgery. 

What is a Rotator Cuff Injury?

Rotator Cuff Injuries are far more common compared to Frozen Shoulder Injuries, and can be just as debilitating. The Rotator Cuff is made up of four muscles that drive rotational movement within the shoulder:

• Teres Minor
• Infraspinatus
• Subscapularis
• Suprapinatus

Rotator Cuff injuries can come in many forms including tears, tendinitis, impingement and bursitis. Frozen Shoulder Injuries often inhibit the Rotator Cuff, therefore these injuries are implicated together when dealing with Shoulder Treatments. 

People suffering with Rotator Cuff Injury/Dysfunction will normally present with sharp pain, stiffness and a lack of range of motion within the shoulder. These injuries normally occur due to hyper-mobility, joint stiffness or lack of connection between upper/lower body (Anterior/Posterior Oblique Slings). It is paramountly important that if playing sport and exercising on regular basis, that there is connection between upper and lower body. Our shoulder joints are not meant to create power, they are made to omit power that the lower body produces. 

How we Fix – Frozen Shoulder | Rotator Cuff Injury

• Deep Tissue Massage | Remedial Massage | Bodywork

Normally, health-care practitioners can be quite passive and cautious when dealing with these injuries. This is where Melbourne Muscular Therapies differs…

We believe that Frozen Shoulder must be attacked at the source. The adhesiveness, blockage, scarring must be melted in order for pain to be eliminate and range of motion to be restored. Practitioners at Melbourne Muscular Therapies will deliver the deepest form of Deep Tissue Massage and Myofascial Release, in the most tactful, deliberate and slow manner. The scarring and blockages involved in these issues can be so small that treatment must be delivered in such a precise way, otherwise they can be missed and the pain and dysfunction can remain. 

Rotator Cuff Injury is no different. Treatment of the Rotator Cuff requires the same amount of precision and focus. Adhesions, scarring and tears can lie deep within the shoulder – particularly in the tendinnous attachment points of the four muscles that make up the Rotator Cuff. These points can be so deep, that the pressure must reach a certain depth (often down to the bone), in order for healing to occur. Once these points are released, people will feel complete relief, as if there was never any pain!

Strengthening the Shoulder

• Muscular Activtion
• NMF Barefoot Power Training
• Functional Training

As already stated, Shoulder Injury normally occurs due to lack of strength/movement within the shoulder, plus a lack of connection between upper/lower body (particularly Glutes to Shoulder). Following on from treatment/massage, we must strengthen the shoulder, and create a connection between shoulder and glute. 

We would normally commence with some Glute Activation (see previous blog for video), and eventually progress through to our Neuromuscular Facilitated Barefoot Power Training – Foundational Deadlift and Primal Power Squat (See video below). These exercises are brilliant at developing full-body power and strength – and commences the connection between the upper and lower body. Once proficient at these lifts, isolated functional training can occur to create complete connection. Ideally, we want the opposite Glute and Hamstring to create the force/power, for the opposite shoulder to omit. Think L glute to R shoulder (Throwing, Cricketer bowling etc). See the video below in order to understand how to begin to develop this connection!

Note: This is just the tip of the iceberg! There a numerous ways we treat and strengthen the shoulder using functional training – This particular exercises is great for everyone however specifically related to someone that is performing a throwing/bowling action of a repetitive basis. 

If you are suffering from some form of Shoulder Injury/Pain – Have Chronic Frozen Shoulder, or ongoing Rotator Cuff Injury, Please book online at www.musculartherapy.com.au.