Frozen Shoulder: What, Why, and How?

Frozen Shoulder

What? – is it
Why? – did it freeze
How? – to thaw it

Frozen shoulder refers to adhesive capsulitis. What is it? A condition where the joint capsule starts to get thick, tight and “freezes” up. It becomes painful to lift the arm out away from the body. The position of comfort becomes your arm sucked into your side as if in a sling. Tightness and adhesions develop throughout the armpit and shoulder blade making it even harder and more painful to lift the arm.

Why did it freeze? A variety of reasons can lead to a frozen shoulder but all are related to a trauma of some kind. Physical trauma such as a broken arm, surgery, or other injuries can cause it. But also mental trauma, anxiety, and stressful events of life contribute as well. Emotional turmoil, chaos, grief, fear also all contribute. These mental and emotional traumas get lodged in the body and tissues blocking energy and fluid flow through body parts. These blockages lead to myofascial restrictions, muscle and fascia getting tightly bound down. For the frozen shoulder a lot of these restrictions are in the armpit and shoulder blade.

The Chakras, or energy centers, related to frozen shoulder are the Heart Chakra and
Throat Chakra. The Heart Chakra relates to love, compassion, forgiveness, non-judgement. The Throat Chakra relates to speaking your truth, telling your story, expressing yourself and feelings, being heard, and listening. A frozen shoulder may manifest when there are mental and emotional issues related to these aspects. Bringing an awareness to these aspects can help unlock or “thaw” your shoulder as you begin to address the underlying issues.

How to thaw it? Stimulate movement, stimulate energy and flow through all the parts
connected to the shoulder. If the shoulder is having a hard time, let the rest of the body help it out. Get all the parts of the body that are connected to the shoulder to move better and life will get easier for the shoulder.

So what’s connected to the shoulder?
Everything…the whole body,
all of you. Its all connected.

Get all the parts above the shoulder moving well, your neck and upper back. Get the
shoulder blades moving again. Also get the spine below the shoulders moving, the pelvis, hips, and legs. They are all connected and can help the shoulder. Reflect and consider what mental and emotional factors might play into your shoulder becoming frozen.

Embrace and face these factors because as you do it will help your shoulder
find relief and the release to free up your motion.