The physiotherapeutic treatment of a calcified shoulder is primarily concerned with relieving the patient’s pain. The calcification causes inflammation of the joint, which may cause severe pain. This pain can lead to relieving postures and movement restrictions in the shoulder joint. The physiotherapist tries to anticipate these problems during the treatment by means of various techniques and provide the patient with relief. Special exercises, which can be given to the patient, can also prevent the development of new problems, so that no chronic development occurs.
Therapy/treatment of a calcified shoulder
A calcified shoulder can be extremely painful and severely restrict the shoulder’s freedom of movement. Nevertheless, not every calcified shoulder needs treatment, as the excess calcified deposits in the shoulder are broken down by the body on their own. If therapy is necessary, there are various treatment approaches to get the problem under control.
After an orthopedic surgeon has determined the extent of calcification through appropriate diagnostic procedures, a decision can be made as to which treatment method is best suited to the individual patient. As a rule, the first step is to attempt to restore the damaged shoulder to its original shape by means of conservative treatment. Here, the focus is first of all on controlling the pain.
The patient’s suffering is alleviated by the use of painkillers (usually NSAIDs, which also have an anti-inflammatory effect). However, if the pain is extremely severe and stressful, the analgesic can also be injected directly into the shoulder. Another alternative is to wear a shoulder orthosis for a certain period of time.
This can be a sensible solution to relieve the shoulder by immobilising it. Matrix therapy can be used here as a form of treatment so that the excess calcium depot in the shoulder is broken down more quickly. It aims to stimulate the metabolism so that the calcium deposits in the shoulder are broken down more quickly by the body.
Another possibility is shock wave therapy, which uses energetic, mechanical waves to break up the calcifications in the shoulder joint and thus eliminate the problems. Physiotherapy for a calcified shoulder aims to relieve the pain and to protect the shoulder from damage caused by poor posture and to make it mobile again. It is also an important part of the post-operative treatment, should an operation of the calcified shoulder be unavoidable.
