09/06/2021
Good morning everyone, hope you are all well and good 🌻 In the clinic lately, I've had quite a few people coming in with shoulder issues. In this post, I'm going to discuss two of the causes of shoulder pain - both very debilitating injuries - Rotator Cuff Injury and Adhesive Capsulitis aka Frozen Shoulder.
I apologise now for the length of this post - I have tried my very best to keep it brief 😁
Rotator Cuff Injury: First off, the rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that originate on the shoulder blade (scapula) and insert as tendons onto the top of the arm bone (humerus). They form the deepest muscle-tendon layer in the shoulder. The rotator cuff is essential for rotating and raising the arm at the shoulder.
A rotator cuff tear often occurs in people who repeatedly perform the same shoulder motions or it may be the result of an acute injury - like a fall. Symptoms include shoulder pain, weakness and compromised mobility/range of movement of the arm.
Most people seek treatment in the form of medication, physiotherapy, corticosteroid injections and possibly surgery depending on whether it's a Partial Tear (the tendon is partially damaged) or a Complete Tear (the tendon has pulled away from the bone completely).
Frozen Shoulder: The shoulder is made up of three bones: the scapula (shoulder blade), the humerus (upper arm bone), and the clavicle (collarbone). The joint capsule is a watertight sac that encloses the joint and the fluids that bathe and lubricate it. The walls of the joint capsule are made up of ligaments. In frozen shoulder, inflammation in the joint makes the normally loose parts of the joint capsule stick together (adhere). The consequential range of motion is severely restricted and causes immense pain. There is no real definitive medical reason that can be applied as to it's cause/origin - though there are theories such as: Autoimmune reaction, whereby the body’s immune system mistakenly begins to attack the tissues of the body causing an intense inflammatory reaction in the tissue that is under attack. It may begin after a shoulder injury, fracture, or surgery. It can also start if the shoulder has not being used normally as in recovering from a fracture in the wrist etc. and having to wear a sling for a lengthy period of time. For some reason, immobilizing a joint after an injury seems to trigger the autoimmune response in some people. Other shoulder problems like bursitis, rotator cuff tears, or impingement syndrome can end up causing a frozen shoulder. Usually, the frozen shoulder must be treated first to regain its ability to move before the underlying problem can be addressed.
And this is where Bowen therapy comes in! It is a very effective treatment in assisting the body's recovery of shoulder issues and regaining mobility - in fact, I believe it would be quicker and less invasive than some of the other options available.
In saying that, there is no "quick fix" for these types of issues, no matter which treatment method one chooses. And there are always contributing factors to anyone's recovery from any type of body injury/dis-ease which requires the afflicted persons input i.e. 1) addressing the inflammation in their body through dietary means 2) participation in performing suggested rehabilitation exercises and/or stretches.
So, hope you found that helpful and should you have any further questions, I'm more than happy to hear from you, otherwise have a wonderful day and take care 💕 Annie
