What Causes And Increases The Risk Of Frozen Shoulder?

Shoulder Immobilization

Frozen shoulder commonly occurs in patients who have had a shoulder injury, primarily because of shoulder immobilization. Shoulder immobilization can encourage the connective tissue around the joint to tighten, since the patient isn't exercising their usual range of motion as often. Common injuries that result in shoulder immobilization include a rotator cuff injury or a broken arm or dislocated shoulder. Additionally, some patients who have reduced movement in their shoulder because of a stroke develop frozen shoulder. The condition may also occur in patients recovering from shoulder surgery or another surgery that requires the shoulder to be immobilized. It's best for individuals with shoulder injuries and immobilized shoulders to ask their doctors about what exercises they should do to preserve their range of motion. Depending on the injury, a general physician may refer the patient to a physical therapist.

Issues With The Thyroid

Issues with the thyroid seem to increase a patient's risk of developing frozen shoulder, although like with diabetes, doctors aren't quite sure of the precise reason for this. The thyroid produces hormones that regulate an individual's metabolic rate, controlling how fast the body uses energy. An overactive thyroid can result in a condition called hyperthyroidism, and occurs when the thyroid produces excess hormone. When the thyroid doesn't produce the right amount of hormone, the condition is called hypothyroidism. Hyperthyroidism can cause unusual weight loss and irregular or rapid heartbeats. The condition can be serious when undiagnosed, but a number of medications and other treatments can manage it. Hypothyroidism occurs when the body doesn't have enough thyroid hormone to run the metabolism at the correct speed, which can lead to weight gain, fatigue, and other symptoms.