In late 2021 I suffered a rupture of the supraspinatus tendon of my right shoulder. This resulted in extremely painful movement and limited range of motion in all directions. The condition is often referred to colloquially as a “Frozen Shoulder”.

Treatment: After consulting my GP who confirmed the diagnosis, I was referred to an Orthopaedic Consultant and underwent surgery in May 2022 to reattach the torn tendon. Post-operation, I was instructed to keep my arm completely immobile in a sling for at least three weeks while waiting for contact from NHS physiotherapy services.

My wife, who was already a regular attendee at Surrey Physio, mentioned my situation to her therapist, Kay. She suggested that I might benefit from seeing one of the physios with specific expertise in this type of injury. As a result, I had an appointment with Tim within two weeks of the surgery.

Tim explained the importance of restoring movement early to prevent scar tissue from building up and restricting long-term mobility. We began weekly sessions of gentle manipulation and ultrasound therapy.

After a few weeks, Tim introduced a range of gentle stretching exercises. These were demonstrated and practiced in the clinic, and I was given exercise sheets to guide me at home. Tim always discussed the purpose behind each exercise, giving me the opportunity to ask any questions.

I eventually received my first NHS physiotherapy appointment around eight weeks after the surgery. This consisted of a single twenty-minute consultation, with further appointments offered remotely by phone. By this stage, I was already seeing meaningful progress with Tim, so I chose to continue face-to-face treatment at Surrey Physio.

Progress: It is important to understand that this type of injury is significant and recovery takes time. After the initial phase of gentle mobilisation, Tim introduced more challenging-and sometimes painful-exercises to increase movement. However, the intensity was always kept within manageable limits and never pushed beyond what was safe. It was motivating to review the steady improvements at each session.

As treatment progressed, appointments were spaced further apart while more home-based stretching and strengthening exercises were introduced. Tim emphasised the importance of completing these home exercises consistently, as they were essential for achieving a full recovery.

Outcome: After the operation, my shoulder had almost no movement and was painful in all directions. By the end of treatment, I had regained full range of movement and was completely pain-free. Three years later, this remains the case. It was a long six months of treatment, but the results made the effort entirely worthwhile.

Kind Regards
Terry