Can You Thaw Out a Frozen Shoulder?

Categories: Blog Jun 05, 2016

This is a picture of OS Coach PJ Olsen. I just wanted to share it because it makes me smile. PJ oozes joy. I think it is beautiful.  Thanks to Jen and Chris Creed for sharing!

We start out every Pressing Reset workshop by informing people the intention of the workshop is not to cure, treat, diagnose or fix any physical condition. We are simply seeking to share with others how their bodies are designed to move. If we can engage in that original movement design and their body starts feeling better, it starts moving better and it stops hurting, AWESOME! We will celebrate that wonder, but we are not trying to "fix" anyone. We are not doctors, therapists, or medical professionals. Well, some of us aren't...

Anyway, sometimes wonderful things do happen when we engage in our design and we start pressing reset. I could probably tell you story after story of how someone recovered their range of motion that had been missing for years, or how someone no longer hurt in their lower back, or even a more subtle but just as powerful story of how someone discovered they could put on their socks while standing versus having to sit down in a chair.

To me, during workshops, the changes I get to see are so dramatic and powerful. For example, at our most recent workshop in Toronto one of the participants had a frozen shoulder. It had been frozen for months and they could not abduct it (raise it to their side) more than 90 degrees. It was also a struggle for the person to raise the shoulder into flexion (hold their hand up as if to say "Pick me!") more than 135 degrees without discomfort.

I had the privilege of watching this person explore and press reset with head nods and rolling. What I witnessed was pure joy. This person discovered that their frozen shoulder seemed to have thawed out. Suddenly the shoulder could be fully abducted and fully flexed without pain, and more importantly, without fear. I also saw joy appear on the person's face. I will never, ever, get tired of watching what I have come to call "miracles" happen when people start pressing reset.

Joy. Can you imagine not being able to move the way you wanted to, or the way you know you should be able to, for months and then suddenly be able to just because you started moving your head around? Or just because you started rocking back and forth on your hands and knees? Do you think that might make you smile? Do you think joy might ooze out of your expressions and movement? Movement, our bodies' movement template, is an amazing catalyst for positive change. It is restorative; not just physically, but also emotionally.

Again, I will never tire of watching someone rediscover their joy, their mobility, their strength and their hope through moving. It is so powerful. It is simply amazing how the body can heal itself, or maximize its current state, if it is given what it needs.

The whole point to this is that there is always hope. That, and I wanted to share and celebrate with this person's joy in discovering their arm could move again. It's a fantastic thing to be able to move as we were made to move!

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