Physiotherapy - Does it work for Frozen Shoulder

Sorry to hear that hydrodilation didn't work for you.  I was one of the lucky ones who found it worked well for me and was painless.  I wonder if it's down to the doctor doing the procedure or just the difference in individual frozen shoulders?

There is a lot of discussion and disagreement about the best way to treat frozen shoulders and what works for one, doesn't necessarily seem to work for others.  As for physio, some swear by very rigorous "no pain no gain" approach - while other consultants actually say it will do more harm than good before the thawing stage.  From personal experience, I found if I overdid things, physio wise, it made the pain worse and set me back.  Personally, I think some gentle stretching and strengthening excercises are useful (and can be done at home) - but stop if it hurts.  I was told by my GP that there was a 3 months wait for NHS physio but was lucky enough to have quicker access via BUPA.  Going privately seemed to cost around £45 a session.  It might be worth trying a couple of sessions to help to show you the best way of excercising at home.  It's worth doing some reserach into local physiotherapists to find one who is experienced in frozen shoulders and speak to them to find their approach.

Good luck in getting through this awful condition and I hope you find something that helps.

Sorry to hear hydrodilation did not work for you. It worked for well for me and was not painful only uncomfortable.  Did you have the hydrodilatation done under ultrasound guided as I did?  This enables the injection to be visualised and therefore placed in the correct space inside the capsule.  If ultra sound guided was not used and it was done blindly it might not have been in the correct space and that could be why it was so painful.  I agree with Maria regarding Physio. I was advised to have intense physio twice weekly initially after the hydrodilatation and this worked really well for me and helped me get some movement back.  However, there were times when I overdid things either at work or from exercising and that would set me back a few days each time and this still continues.   Definitely research physios and find there approach.  I went private as sadly the NHS were unable to offer me my surgeons recommendation.  My physio's approach was to firstly massage and then stretch it out which was quite painful, she would then give me strengthening exercises to do at home of which I religiously stuck too.  It always felt better after Physio.  It's a long road to recovery, I still don't have full movement back but I am coping.  It's been nearly a year since my hydrodilatation, it's a slow process.  I wish you well.

Yes Physiotherapy can  of great help. That said you have to have a therapist who has specialised in manual therapy. If you go to a clinic and get someone who normally does cardiac rehab or pediatrics you may be out of luck with shoulder treatments. Also if it is a fozen shoulder it must be at the defrosting stage whether that is at one year or three. Just wrenching the arm round and causing  more pain is out. Having had several shoulder injuries although ever a frozen shoulder I speak with some authority. When you are refered to a PT at least in America the antipodes, Canada or the UK make sure  the PT is the one for you. Get on the web to the PTassocation or Colllege or whatever and find out the nearest qualfied PT. Take your partner along get the  PT  teach them what to do. It is usually not rocket science. Rember out of evey 5 shouldrrs diagnosed  frozen shoulder   perhaps only one truly is.

Like you Jane I found it to be of no help at all. My cortisone is wearing off and the pain is coming back. While the procedure was painless, the Dr said that the capsue was not frozen (mind you she needed a personality transplant). She told me it was purely muscular but my physio told me she was talking from somewhere other than her mouth!

anyway - I have had no benefit whatsoever which has left me feeling very frustrated to have been told that it was not frozen - I am at a loss as to which way to turn now..........

I don't know if it does Jane. My physio actually stopped my physio herself. Said I was too frozen and I could resume when I started to thaw. Please try a tens machine. It has really helped me X