Almost a year ago I began to develop symptoms of adhesive capsulitis, more commonly known as frozen shoulder.
It started as a pain in my right arm which I thought was brought on by a heavy fall on the ice whilst out cycling with my local Crawley Wheelers. Gradually I found myself unable to close my car door, take off my clothes overhead, sleep on my right side, put my hand on my hip or ride my bike without severe pain. I had some sessions with my private physio, who diagnosed it as a rotator cuff problem, but this did not help. I then saw every quack under the sun but was still being kept awake most nights with the pain. I joined the local gym but immediately realised I not only couldn't even lift the bare bar I couldn't even get myself under the bar or use any of the apparatus at all. I next visited my GP who sent me to the local hospital for physio and I was almost instantly diagnosed as having classic symptoms of frozen shoulder, unusual for a healthy person like myself as most sufferers tend to be diabetic. The hospital has a set routine but as my shoulder was severe there was little they could do. I tried injections and manipulation but my shoulder remained stiff. The hospital could not give me hands-on physio as they felt it was too painful so I was signed off in September and told that nature would have to take its course which could be a couple of years on average.
I then scoured the internet and wasted more money on Bowen Therapy and acupressure before coming across a man named Keith Scott who promised he could cure a frozen shoulder in 12 weeks. I started his course, which is sent in weekly online modules and I must admit I was fortunate in having all the required apparatus at my local gym. The guy was so positive I was full of hope and each week, each day in fact, I felt a little bit stronger and confident about pushing back the boundaries. I couldn't walk my hand anywhere near the top of the door jamb in week 1 but a few short weeks later I had this one cracked and my overhead mobility began to come back. This period is called the thaw. I'm now at week 12 and for all intents and purposes I am cured. I can reach up over my head and yesterday I weight trained for the first time and managed to bench press 10 x 70 kg and chin the bar for the first time in over a year. A month ago I still couldn't lift the 20kg bar or support my own weight and when I tried a bent arm row my right side went up at the shoulder in a quasimodo-type position.
The only thing I cannot do is stand flat with my back against the wall and raise my arms up but I am wondering if I could ever do that anyway as my best training exercise has always been curls and when I was able to chin the bar 64 times in a minute this could only be achived underarm and I always struggled with behind the neck pressing, many a time pulling the weight down on top of my head. This tells me that I probably had this weakness for many years and may even have been this that caused the frozen shoulder. I intend to work on this solidly to prevent it returning but I am pleased to say that Keith Scott's course either cured or advanced my recovery and would have saved me an awful lot of money if I had sought him out earlier.
I hope this endorsement helps any fellow sufferers. It is a nasty condition but I promise you it is very curable with a progressive program, I can now put my arm behind my back and even sleep on my right side. I am virtually pain free and the aching I presently feel is probably because I am working the shoulder fiercely, impatient person that I am.
