What is Shoulder Stiffness?

Shoulder stiffness can be a symptom of many common shoulder problems. Unlike shoulder weakness, a patient with shoulder stiffness has a diminished range of motion even when assisted. Also, this patient will experience pain around the shoulder and arm and will have trouble raising his or her arm over their head.

This stiffness can be a symptom of a number of different shoulder conditions including frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tears, shoulder tendonitis and shoulder arthritis. Following are brief descriptions of these conditions.  However, it is important to seek the opinion of an orthopedic specialist to determine the cause of your particular shoulder stiffness.

Frozen Shoulder occurs when the capsule of tissue that surrounds the shoulder joint becomes contracted, and it affects about 2 percent of the general population between the ages of 40 and 60. It is a difficult condition for a patient to identify, and although it is twice as likely to occur in females, its causes are undetermined. Other risk factors include: diabetes or thyroid problems, a period of shoulder immobilization following injury or surgery and Parkinson’s disease or heart disease.

Rotator cuff tears are most common in people over the age of 40. Younger people often experience a rotator cuff tear as a result of an acute trauma. A rotator cuff tear is defined by pain, usually over the top of the shoulder and arm. It also causes weakness in the shoulder making lifting objects and your arm over the head difficult.  It can be caused by a single traumatic injury or overuse of the muscles for many years.

Shoulder tendonitis means there is an inflammation in the shoulder joint. It often occurs after an initial injury that becomes further irritated with additional use. Shoulder tendonitis causes pain on the top of the shoulder and arm, when lifting the arm above head height and while sleeping.

Shoulder arthritis usually falls into two categories: osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis and affects patients over 50 years of age. Osteoarthritis is caused by progressive wear-and-tear on the shoulder joint, and rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic condition that causes inflammation in the joint lining. The symptoms associated with shoulder arthritis are pain with use and activity, a limited range of motion, a stiffness, tenderness and swelling of the shoulder and a grinding feeling within the joint.

The symptoms for each of these conditions are very similar, so it is very important to seek the opinion of an orthopedic specialist to determine appropriate diagnosis and treatment, which may include:
• exercises and stretching
• application of moist heat or ice
• anti-inflammatory medications
• physical therapy
• cortisone injections
• surgery

Only your orthopedic surgeon will know the best treatment plan to treat your unique condition!

View the original article here