Is Frozen Shoulder the Reason You Can’t Exercise?
How to know, and what to do about it
Shoulder pain interferes with the arm days of your workout, as well as with everyday tasks that involve reaching or lifting. The causes of shoulder pain are varied and can include things like dislocation, arthritis, torn rotator cuff, fracture, bursitis and even heart attack. If your pain is accompanied by reduced range of motion or stiffness, you might have frozen shoulder.
What is frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is a condition that causes pain and stiffness in your shoulder. It can occur after prolonged periods of inactivity, after an injury or overuse, or as the result of certain medical conditions.
When you have frozen shoulder, the glenohumeral joint capsule of your shoulder becomes enflamed and stiffens. This capsule is between the humerus (upper arm) and the scapula (shoulder blade) and is normally slack to allow for shoulder movement.
The initial stiffening is painful, so your natural response is to move less. Reduced motion causes the capsule to contract even further, which can result in loss of synovial fluid in the joint and adhesions on the head of the humerus. Your shoulder becomes painfully trapped, confined to a small range of motion.
