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Frozen Shoulder

Adhesive capsulitis, known as “frozen shoulder”, is one of Dr. Bennett’s areas or particular expertise. A condition more common among women than men, it typically occurs between ages 40 and 60. Frozen shoulder is where the shoulder stiffens, often accompanied by pain. Typically you can’t move your shoulder, and it’s hard for someone else to move it for you. If this is happening to you, you probably don’t want to hear that it lasts one to three years! Fortunately, Dr. Bennett is able to relieve your pain and return your range of motion immediately. As the shoulder heals, his patients typically feel back to normal in about 4 months.

The shoulder joint comprises three parts: the humerus (upper arm bone), scapula (shoulder blade), and clavicle (collar bone). Frozen shoulder results from the thickening and tightening of the capsule that surrounds the joint and rotator cuff tendons. “Adhesions”, or bands of tissue, form. A decline in the synovial fluid lubricating the joint also contributes to this condition.

Besides the ball and socket, the scapula is responsible for about a third of your range of shoulder motion. While a lot of doctors and patients choose to treat Frozen Shoulder with a year of physical therapy or manipulation under anesthesia, Dr. Bennett, an internationally-recognized shoulder surgeon, does not recommend this.

Initially patients who treat with physical therapy may feel better as their scapula motion improves, but if the ball and socket range of motion does not return to normal, arthritis will develop. Dr. Bennett does not advise manipulation under anesthesia either, because this may rip other tissues, not just the adhesions.

Arthroscopic Capsular Release

Instead, Dr. Bennett does an arthroscopic capsular release. Your range of motion is returned immediately, before you even wake up! Due to some tenderness afterwards, it may take about 4 months to feel completely better (6 months for diabetic patients).

Why wait 1 to 3 YEARS in pain, going to up to 150 physical therapy appointments? Why not just have a quick procedure and release the frozen shoulder? When you consider the cost of copays for as many as three physical therapy appointments every week for a year, surgery may actually be less expensive in addition to providing immediate relief. Dr. Bennett has published internationally-recognized studies on this procedure and has successfully treated thousands of shoulders arthroscopically.

capreleaseinferior

This is an arthroscopic photo which illustrates that with simple releases of various quadrants of the shoulder, passive range of motion can be restored.

Call (941)-404-2703 to schedule a consultation, or fill out the online form.

©2013 Bennett Orthopedics and Sportsmedicine.

Dr. Bennett’s immediate services area is localized to Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, North Port, Englewood and Lakewood Ranch, Florida. With easy access to Tampa-St. Petersburg Airports, as well as Ft Myers airport, his reach extends to Naples, Port Charlotte, out-of-state and International patients.