[hnruss]

I am also recovering from a frozen shoulder, but thankfully it was not nearly as bad as the author. This is also my second time having it. Both times have required months of PT, mostly stretching and some strength training.

As for the pain during PT, I found it helpful to talk to the physical therapist, which distracted my mind from lower-level pain. When the pain increased, I’d temporarily stop talking and free my mind of thoughts, trying to reach a near-meditative state. I’d let the pain come and go, like clouds in the sky. Some days that was easier than others. Perhaps it helped that I had already learned some meditative techniques years ago.

[christiansakai]

How do you recover from this? Isn’t this a genetic disease?

[tejtm]

Unknown. Most common in post menopausal women with an autoimmune disorder such as diabetes or thyroid problem. i.e. not me but I got it anyway.

You "recover" when your body stops recognizing the soft tissue around your shoulder as the enemy and it has a chance to heal. For most it takes 9-18 months (per shoulder) and stops when it does regardless of physical therapy. The one thing that seems to help is a cortisone shot _early_ which seems to knock about three months off the the disease's course. Shots later do not have the same effect.

Logically it is an auto immune response, to what I have no clue. Starts like any strain you don't quite remember how you got and just keeps getting worse.

If you get it in one shoulder you are very likely to get it in the other. But you are more likely to recognize it early and get that cortisone shot.

[hnruss]

In my case, the recovery required physical therapy. My shoulders have also improved somewhat on their own over time. From what I’ve read, it’s not genetic. My shoulder injuries were each caused by a specific physical event, and then gradual loss of range occurred along with increasing pain.