Ep 71 - Frozen Shoulder and the Super Drug, "I Have a Client Who …" Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner

This podcast addresses the question of when it's safe to provide massage to a client who has taken a six-day prednisone pack for frozen shoulder. Prednisone, a steroidal anti-inflammatory, is effective but carries risks with short-term side effects like headaches and long-term effects such as immune system suppression. Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is a condition with three stages: freezing, frozen, and thawing, often resolving on its own over a long period. While steroidal anti-inflammatories are sometimes injected for frozen shoulder, oral steroids are less common. For a six-day course of prednisone, gentle massage, avoiding the affected shoulder and staying within the client's pain tolerance, is likely safe, especially for addressing secondary neck and back pain. More intense massage should wait a couple of weeks to allow normal tissue responses to return.