From young athletes to senior citizens – frozen shoulders can affect people of all ages and gender groups. This condition is commonly known as “shoulder dislocation.” It is typically caused due to external injuries to the shoulder area. Impact accidents or accidents where the shoulder muscles are unexpectedly elongated can cause severe inflammations. These inflammations take place in the shoulder ligaments and are very painful. In some cases, shoulder pain is so severe that patients can no longer use that shoulder or arm. Thankfully, shoulder dislocation, pain, and freezing are common conditions. People suffering from this condition must learn what happens to their bodies once their shoulders pick up injuries.
What Happens After Shoulder Injuries?
When you get a frozen shoulder, your body goes through three stages. The first stage involves ligament inflammation. The injured shoulder’s ligaments are inflamed and cause severe pain to the patient. The severity of the pain increases with time. Patients’ range of shoulder movements become limited. The inflammatory phase can last anywhere between 4 weeks to 6 months. In the second stage, the inflammations cool down. Shoulder pain is still present but not as severe. Instead, patients are unable to move their shoulders due to stiffness. Moving the shoulder may cause severe pain. But, if you don’t move the shoulder, it just remains stiff. The last phase is the recovery phase.
What Happens When Recovering from Shoulder Injuries?
Recovering from a frozen shoulder [ไหล่ ติด, which is the term in Thai] is not easy. It can take some patients 24 or more months to improve the symptoms of their stiff shoulders. There are ways patients can recover from their shoulder injuries faster and in a more pain-free manner. Physical therapy helps increase the range of motions in the shoulder muscles. Subtle stretching on a regular basis helps patients lose stiffness. Doctors may even provide injections or medications to reduce inflammation. Shoulder surgery is the last option.
