Can lifting the arm help treat shoulder periarthritis?
Disease description:
With shoulder periarthritis, my neck and right shoulder movements were affected, significantly reducing my work efficiency. A colleague suggested that I exercise my arms to relieve shoulder muscle tension. So, can lifting the arm treat shoulder periarthritis?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Lin Yunfei
Lifting the arm cannot treat shoulder periarthritis, but it can alleviate its symptoms. Shoulder periarthritis, when clearly diagnosed as primary frozen shoulder, is a self-limiting condition that will resolve spontaneously, typically improving within one and a half to two years, and usually affects only one shoulder once. However, if pain recurs over three to four years and fails to respond to various treatments, it may instead be a rotator cuff injury. Although shoulder periarthritis itself can heal naturally, primary adhesive capsulitis does not always resolve without intervention. If patients fail to control inflammation and maintain adequate joint movement, stiffness and adhesions may become irreversible, leading to long-term complications.
