2024-01-14 14:55:54
by Antonella Sparvoli
The pain is felt especially at night and the shoulder becomes stiff. The dog’s leash traction is also among the predisposing factors. Possible therapies
It all starts with shoulder pain that is felt especially at night and can last for months. Then the pain decreases but functional limitations occur: the shoulder stiffens and you can no longer comb your hair or put on your shirt. These are the typical symptoms of adhesive capsulitis, or frozen shoulder, a condition that occurs when the joint capsule, the structure that regulates the movement of the shoulder together with tendons and ligaments, becomes inflamed and narrows.
What is it due to?
«Adhesive capsulitis is a condition that affects up to 5 percent of the population, mostly women after middle age – said Marco Minetto, associate professor in physical and rehabilitation medicine at the University of Turin at the Molinette Hospital -. She is divided into primary and secondary. In the first hypothesis, the cause is not known, but it is known that people suffering from some pathologies are more likely to develop it. This is the case, for example, of those who suffer from diabetes or hypothyroidism or neurological pathologies such as Parkinson’s and stroke outcomes, both conditions which alter mobility. Another predisposing factor could be the spontaneous rupture of a tendon calcification: it is possible that fragments of the calcification end up inside the joint giving rise to an inflammatory process.
The secondary forms generally follow forced immobilization, as in the case of shoulder trauma, from fractures to tendon injuries: both the trauma and the resulting pain and immobility determine the “freezing” of the joint. But even repeated microtraumas, such as traction from the dog’s leash, can favor it, as can previous surgeries on the shoulder or breast surgery if it also involves emptying the axillary cavity and removing the lymph nodes.”
How can it be counteracted?
«The pathology resolves itself within one or two years. However, recovery can be accelerated, and the sooner it is recognized and treated, the quicker it is. Only in 20-30% of patients may some pain and partial stiffness persist. The treatment is based on anti-inflammatories, infiltrations and rehabilitation.”
Corriere della Sera is also on Whatsapp. It’s enough click here to subscribe to the channel and always be updated.
January 14, 2024 (modified January 14, 2024 | 1.54 pm)
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
#movements #blocked #inflammation #time.news