Type 2 Frozen shoulder

[Peduk]

Hi
My doctor said because I am type2 with insulin and my age :66: can cause this
The pain is relentless just wonders if any one experienced this.
Hope I posted in right place,
Thank you

 

[EllieM]

Hi @Peduk and welcome to the forums.

You're asking a question so it's fine to post here.

As regards the frozen shoulder, my personal understanding (I've had two) is that it's one of those things that diabetics are more prone to, so anyone can get them but you're more likely to if you are a diabetic.

There have been a few threads about them, I'll see if I can find some.

I personally found physiotherapy helpful, but I know other people have tried other things.

My second one healed much faster than the first, because I went straight to physio...

In my experience they do get better, eventually...

I'm sorry you are in so much pain.

Once more welcome.

 

[EllieM]

OK, if you use the search function for frozen shoulder you get lots of threads. This one is both reletively recent and has a lot of replies

Frozen Shoulder

Hi everyone, I'm just trying to get some advice about frozen shoulder. I have 2 and have had for around 3 years. Still so painful and such limited movement it really affects my day to day life and it's starting to really get me down! The constant pain! The GP has said on more than one occasion...

www.diabetes.co.uk

 

[Outlier]

I worked as a physio for nine years, and in that time fixed many frozen shoulders, with the caveat that if the cause is medication-induced (e.g. statins are notorious) then any cure will only be temporary. Also I worked in the private sector as the NHS didn't allow the time necessary for deep massage but was big on exercise which doesn't actually help at all. A sports massage practitioner would be better than nothing - you do need someone to get deeply into the soft tissue work, and with the training to know if the shoulder/arm is slightly out of kilter, which I often found as well. Good luck.

 

[alanj]

Have you had an x-ray on your shoulder? the reason I ask is that I was diagnosed with a frozen shoulder about 5 years ago. I started with physio and it went on to having 2 steroid injections then last Monday I had keyhole surgery for subacromial decompression

 

[jaywak]

Have you had an x-ray on your shoulder? the reason I ask is that I was diagnosed with a frozen shoulder about 5 years ago. I started with physio and it went on to having 2 steroid injections then last Monday I had keyhole surgery for subacromial decompression

How are you after the surgery ? I ask because I have suffered a painful shoulder for years , 10 days ago I had a steroid injection and it doesn't seem to have made much difference yet and wondered what the next step might be .

 

[alanj]

Hi Jaywak

As for the pain they gave me a nerve block injection which took care of the pain for 24 hours approx. The worst part is trying to find a comfortable position when I am lying down in bed. They gave me co-codamol and I have naproxen which I have been using. If I was you I would see your GP about some extra pain killers. I was also given some leaflets about some exercises to do. What I have found while doing the exercise is that my arm becomes numb similar to the nerve block injection. If you decide with your GP or consultant to have it done just a warning to look out for that happened to me when I came out of surgery and I was in the recovery room, I felt my body was trying to tell me something this went on for a couple of hours, for some unknown reason i decided to test my glucose levels only to find that I was heading towards hyperglycemia I automatically reached for my insulin but had trouble with the needle because my arm was numb I asked one of the nurses for help and was told they couldn't. eventually a doctor came she went in and out of the room then she decided to help I set the pen up with the amount of units needed and she continued to inject when I realised she was turning the end of the pen I asked her to take it out, I had a look she had turned the end to 14 units. It appears that nerve blocks can raise glucose levels

 

[alanj]

Could someone start a new post for me. in 13 years I have been a member I haven't started a post . Just like to post some photos to go along with my previous post

 

[OrsonKartt]

Hi
My doctor said because I am type2 with insulin and my age :66: can cause this
The pain is relentless just wonders if any one experienced this.
Hope I posted in right place,
Thank you

Dead hangs worked for me. A few seconds at first. Now a regular thing.

 

[Westley]

Same for me @OrsonKartt
During the first Covid lockdowns I went from lifting weights most days to sitting all the time, and developed a frozen shoulder during this period. I suspect the inactivity was a factor.
I had a cortisone/hydrodilatation injection which significantly reduced the symptoms for a couple of months, though it near doubled my insulin requirements for a while, and the relief was temporary.
What really fixed it was getting back in the gym, and doing lots of dead hangs (gripping a pull up bar and supporting your weight off the ground with straight arms. Most gyms also have assisted pull up machines for if you can't hold your full weight). At first I could just manage overhand grip, then neutral and eventually underhand.
In the earlier stages stretching after hot showers helped too.
Now I'm back to pull ups, chin ups, overhead pressing, even overhead squats without any problems or pain. My internal rotation on the affected shoulder is still a few degrees less, but I continue to work on it.

 

[lovinglife]

The best exercise I had when I had 2 frozen shoulders at the same time, it was very debilitating, couldn’t lift either arm more than elbow height.
Face a wall with legs hip width apart and just out from the wall, lean in with one arm straight out but bent at the elbow. Look down to the floor. Get a four pint of milk and hold it in the other arm and just let it hang down. Work up to moving it a little bit each day just until it becomes uncomfortable, it took a few weeks but it worked a treat. I had them for about 2 years, this was probably 10+ years ago - had no trouble since

 

[jaywak]

Dead hangs worked for me. A few seconds at first. Now a regular thing.

What are dead hangs please ? I would try anything to get rid of this awful pain .

 

[Westley]

What are dead hangs please ? I would try anything to get rid of this awful pain .

Gripping onto an overhead pull up bar (or climbing frame etc) so your feet are off the ground, and just hanging there for a while.
Full weight might be too much at first, so you can try with some of your weight on your feet and build up gradually.

 

[jaywak]

Thanks ! I'll have to see if I can rig something in the garage and give it a go .

 

[OrsonKartt]

Thanks ! I'll have to see if I can rig something in the garage and give it a go .

I put together some easy fit scaffolding - it was well worth it. I now have a set of rings. They just hang there . When I pass them I just do a pull up or two . It took me an absolute age to get to this stage but it is imho worth the effort if you have space of some sort?

 

[Jaylee]

Dead hangs worked for me. A few seconds at first. Now a regular thing.

That’s interesting. Got diagnosed with “frozen shoulder” on my right side in my early 20s. Ironically working as a window cleaner. Forced my way through it stretching or hanging out on my ladder.. (intuitively.)

Fast forward another 20 years or so & noticed it on the other side mounting PA speakers for gigs? In a band. Couldn’t raise elbows above chest height. No longer a window cleaner at this point but reaching for the door jam or grabbing the bed headboard then wriggling down the bed resolved it.. along with hand walking up walls so it was like I was being “arrested” along with hands behind head? (That sort of posture.)

 

[Yellredder]

I was diagnosed with one a couple of years ago. My arm is still quite weak after it, bra straps are painful and I can’t have anyone rest their head on my shoulder. Mine was as a result of a rotator cuff injury when my shoulder was yanked during a medical procedure. The physio at the surgery refused to go face to face appointments and I ended up seeing a physio privately once it had developed into being a frozen shoulder. This provided a day of respite from the pain each time, but no improvement for range of movement. I understand now that you need to let it run its course. I then also was referred to msk. I do recall at a scan for it that they went on and on about me having FS because of the Diabetes - until I told them actually how I’d sustained it!!

 

[In Response]

I am confused.
My (non-diabetic) partner got frozen shoulder. It was painful and he lost a lot of movement - he was unable to life his arm above horizontal and unable to reach behind him. Dressing was a challenge for him. Even putting on a jacket was difficult. His shoulder was "frozen" in position which I thought was the definition of frozen shoulder rather than another shoulder injury which causes pain.

So my confusion is how can you do dead weights when your should is "frozen" and does not move to the vertical position?

 

[Westley]

With frozen shoulder, people often talk about different stages over time. At first there are sudden moments of brief but excruciating pain with certain movements, and the range of motion reduces significantly over a matter of days or weeks.

While motion is severely restricted it can be hard to find comfortable positions to sleep and perform basic daily tasks.

Then over time the pain during normal hands down motion goes away, but the reduced end ranges overhead and behind the back lasts months or years longer.

It is during this long 'thawing' stage that dead hangs are useful in speeding things up and regaining full motion. In the earlier stages that's probably not possible, but I think it's still helpful to keep it moving as much as you can manage, with gentler exercises like the weight swinging @lovinglife mentions above.

 

[jaywak]

I put together some easy fit scaffolding - it was well worth it. I now have a set of rings. They just hang there . When I pass them I just do a pull up or two . It took me an absolute age to get to this stage but it is imho worth the effort if you have space of some sort?

How long did it take you to see the benefits ? at the moment i'me just getting on a stepladder when I visit the garage and hanging from a joist only 2 - 3 times a day for only 10 secs at a time because it is painful and I do hear some clicking from my shoulder but after only 2 days and I hope i'me not imagining it but it does seem to be improving .