This course is available as a standalone CE course or as an elective for our new Advanced Practice Certification.

Frozen shoulders are amongst the most challenging musculoskeletal disorders in physical therapy. Traditional teaching has focused on a true adhesive capsulitis implicating an inflammatory mechanism behind frozen shoulder and treatment targeted the various phases of the debilitating pain and limited range of motion. Emerging pain science research has implicated various other factors in the etiology, clinical presentation and treatments of the frozen shoulder including sensitive nervous system, adjacent cervical and thoracic spine, diabetes, genetic, sympathetic and more.

This presentation will delve into the clinical presentation of, and treatment of a frozen shoulder taking into consideration central sensitization and neuroplastic changes in the brain. It is now well established that a percentage of frozen shoulder patients present with a significant contribution in their pain and limited range of motion due to these central processes. The clinical components that will help attendees recognize these types of frozen shoulders based on a cluster of symptoms. Tests described in this session will go way beyond traditional orthopedic assessment and include two-point discrimination, laterality, localization, graphesthesia and more. Treatment will feature various graded motor and sensory integration strategies to help ease pain, limited range and disability associated with frozen shoulder.

Course Outcomes