|
What
is a frozen shoulder?
Stages of frozen shoulder
How can I prevent frozen shoulder?
Improving sports performance
Frozen shoulder rehabilitation
for athletes
Stages of frozen
shoulder
Frozen shoulder develops slowly, and in three stages:
- Stage 1
Pain increases with movement and is often worse at night. There is a
progressive loss of motion with increasing pain. This stage lasts approximately
2 to 9 months.
- Stage 2
Pain begins to diminish, and moving the arm is more comfortable. However,
the range of motion is now much more limited, as much as 50 percent
less than in the other arm. This stage may last 4 to 12 months.
- Stage 3
The condition begins to resolve. Most patients experience a gradual
restoration of motion over the next 12 to 42 months; surgery may be
required to restore motion for some patients.
How can I prevent
frozen shoulder?
To help prevent frozen shoulder:
- Do regular strength
training and range of motion exercises. This will help maintain a strong
and flexible shoulder joint.
- Seek prompt treatment
for a shoulder injury.
- Do activities that
use your shoulder joint regularly.
Your chances of a
reoccurrence can be reduced if you return to practice and competition
when all symptoms of the injury are gone and strength has returned to
normal. Furthermore, the rehabilitation
exercises should be continued to ensure protective strength, range
of motion, and stability of the injured area.
Improving sports
performance
The key to improving sports performance after recovering from frozen shoulder
is a proper rehabilitation program, and adhering to some of those same
principles after the injury is gone. Refer to the rehabilitation exercises
regularly.
Remember the following:
- Do regular strength
training and range of motion exercises. This will help maintain a strong
and flexible shoulder joint.
- Seek prompt treatment
for a shoulder injury.
- Do activities that
use your shoulder joint regularly.
Also, the single most
important aspect of improving performance is stretching before and after
you step onto the field, court, ice, or golf course.
Benefits derived from stretching include:
- increased physical
efficiency and performance
- decreased risk
of injury
- increased blood
supply and nutrients to joint structures
- increased coordination
- improved muscular
balance and postural awareness
- reduced stress
- enhanced enjoyment
|
