Deep tissue massage and trigger point therapy for frozen shoulder?
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I am dealing with my second frozen shoulder. My right was completely frozen 2013 and took approximately 6 months to resolve, but now my left is frozen since April of this year.
This time I did not lose as much range of motion but the pain is much worse. Unfortunately my ortho has since retired, so I've used what I learned from the first experience to treat myself, but it seems this is a totally different experience and it must run its own course.
I researched extensively (thankfully, found this forum which has alleviated my fears I've gone bonkers!), and I decided to try deep tissue massage and trigger point therapy to break up the adhesions. I have now gone through 12 sessions, most of which have been painful and have me hating life for days afterwards. It has been expensive, as I live in the US and massage is not covered under insurance.
My range of motion has increased considerably. I do have an impingement and a painful spot in the pectoral muscle that seems to be preventing me from lifting my arm fully and is causing the majority of my pain. I know it takes time, but I was wondering, has anyone on the forum tried trigger point therapy? If so, I'd like to hear your experience.
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colin1964 GalacticCat
Posted
hi galactic c !!
colin here
yes agree. i too have suffered badly ( both shoulders). a lot of people deep tissue massage does not agree with. i find it really helps and with the trigger point in the mix as well. i have mine done every friday last appointment so i have time to recover.
1st shoulder december 5th 2018. still seeing to that one. friday down for an AP1 /2 x-ray on the left side with a possible hydro dilation as well. ( damage to the ball of the joint)
i really felt the deep tissue massage helped and when she got to the trigger points. ho she found them. i was squirming on the table. kept on forgetting to breath lol. i felt it helped sort out the muscle spasms on the shoulder blade areas and on the pecs area and relaxed the top half of me in a kind of torture kind of way.
the frozen went bi-lateral in aug 2019. but no one would believe me. except the physio ( like you private). now thats double session each side. deep tissue and the trigger points where ever they were.
my second shoulder was less harsh pain wise but stuck. i am a carpenter lots of above head work.
got sent for MRI on new frozen. surgeon found "subacromial decompression" instead of frozen joint ????!!. get that in ya head.
went for surgery 4 weeks ago. would you believe they could not lift my arm up when sedated. told them its frozen.
now have to contend with very sore shoulder and its locking up due to frozen.
i am allowed back to physio friday coming cannot wait for a really deep tissue exercise and trigger point
for me it really helps but the muscle revert back after a few days
due to this operation my bicep tricep and neck are in spasm all the time. i hope she can sort out with point therapy and work on the muscles. as i wake up approx 2am every night with a deep muscle ache
even my neck has re started to crack again when i move it.
colin