What is the Difference Between Frozen Shoulder And Rotator Cuff Tear? | Expert Physio Guide

In this tutorial, we explore the key subjective and objective points to help you differentiate between a patient with a Frozen Shoulder and a Rotator Cuff Tear.

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[WorldGoneKrazy]

Thank you! I was diagnosed with this about a week ago. Started last January. Long trail of G.P., E.R. Doctor x 4, finally a specialist made this diagnosis. Knowing what you have been suffering from for so long is better than not knowing!! I thought I was being gobbled up by some strange muscular disease that they might discover at autopsy 😂😂😂 This condition is WAY underated for horror!! Both shoulders at once. 61 Year old Man. Cheers!!

[dmschu]

Hello Khalid, I just found your video and it's very helpful. Thank you 🙏🏻😊.

I have recently (a couple days ago) been diagnosed with Frozen Shoulder in my left shoulder. I have been experiencing pain and gradually increasing pain since mid May this year. My appointment with an orthopaedic was this past Friday 8/25/2023 after waiting for almost 2 months for the appointment due to his busy schedules 😞. After X-ray and some testings as demonstrated in your video, within 5 minutes he diagnosed me with a Frozen Shoulder. Your video is pretty much the same as this specialist explained to me. From the time I felt the pain, I have searched of what my symptoms lead to and I thought I might suffer from a rotator cuff. But I had no trauma or injury that might cause it. I am a 52 yrs old archer, but I skipped the archery this year due to other activities and busy at my job. Apparently my symptoms are exactly the symptoms of frozen shoulder, which I have never heard before. This specialist said, the cause is unknown. I thought maybe due to archery sport or poor ergonomic at my work place. He said none of those. I am not a diabetic either.

Indeed, from started to feel pain to gradually unable to lift my left arm passing certain degrees and unable to do ranges of movements, especially reaching my back, are the frozen shoulder symptoms. So washing my hair, getting dressed, sleeping, driving are quite painful. The pain does radiate to my left elbow and wrist sometimes. And sometimes without doing anything, I feel the pain and throbbing in my left shoulder. I believe I am in the "Freezing Stage" now since it just started mid May when I started feeling the pain.

I do feel pain in my armpit area if it's pressed, I assume that might be due the inflammation of the joint capsule 🤔.

Doctor said the key of getting better is patience, as I will go through 3 phases (freezing, frozen, and thawing). Although he recommended me to do a couple of exercises twice a day, when I feel comfortable to do. He said it may take a year or more to get better. He offered corticosteroid injection if needed, but no surgery is necessary. So for now I will just try the exercises he recommended and take it easy, one day at a time.

Anyway, I just want to thank you 🙏🏻🙏🏻 for the detail explanation of the difference between these two shoulder conditions.

Cheers 👋🏻😊

[BeeDoou]

Thank you for those explanation . My MRI says I have a partial rotator cuff tear and labrum tear from a fall resulting in an anterior dislocation, no mention of adhesive capsulitis in the MRI. The orthopedic doctor says he doesn’t care what the MRI says and I have a frozen shoulder. I was given a steroid injection and told to go to PT, if doesn’t work talking about a manipulation under anesthesia. To say the least I am worried about further damage but appreciate your explanation, as my symptoms were gradual and not acute after my injury.

[barry]

I'm 72 and had both L and R rotator cuff's tear. Both are 'through' tears with a number of medically described associated tears in both. One occurred about 20years ago the other 2 years ago. What I am amazed about is few sites seem to describe the pain as severe or intense. I have found both to be so, and having significant impact on sleep. I've experienced severe pain with 2 episodes of kidney stones, several broken bones, tooth abscess, a tooth pulled without pain relief. The pain from my shoulder tears, neither operated on for several reasons, I would describe as severe for several months from the injury date and subsiding slowly to the point my active life is very restricted by bearable. Have I experienced something out of the ordinary or am I just suffering a low pain threshold. Thanks for the vid

[charmekiawhite]

Funny story: I was told I had frozen shoulder. Usually steriods help. Following a car accident the ortho doctor gave a steriod injection then my symptoms got worse. Fast forward, I got an MRI that said, institial tearing high grade to complete tear rotator cuff. I went back to the ortho doctor to ask to see a shoulder doctor. He still said frozen shoulder w/o even looking at my MRI. Note: If you are living an active life, please consult a shoulder specialist. Some doctors think that your just saying your pain isnt what it is when it could be more than what it is.

[philcard]

This video has just helped me lots. Had frozen shoulder in my left shoulder diagnosed by a physio 2 years ago and now have similar in my right, my doctor seems to have misdiagnosed it as rotator cuff injury

[tomnjer]

I first developed several partial rotator cuff tears, excruciating painful period, then it all switched into a very stubborn frozen shoulder - been working with a PT for 4 months now, seeing improvements but, small and slow... it's crucial to do those exercises anytime anywhere consistently.

[Kauserxr]

Thankyou Khalid. I m 58 years old . For the last 6 months I have frozen shoulder according to doctors. But after watching several videos about tendinitis and frozen shoulder, I think I have tendinitis. Because I hv no pain in shoulder joints. I have pain in one specific spot that is deltoid.that spot stops my external motion of the arm, though through exercises, the range has increased but not going any further. I think I hv a tear in deltoid. Twice I slipped and fell.my ultra sound and x Ray are fine. Soon will be doing MRI.

[Jane-yqyq]

I have been told from a scan I have frozen shoulder but xray results said rotater cuff but I definitely have frozen shoulder as you described it exactly how it is x

[MarcPagan]

Thanks for an informative and entertaining video
...from one who has had both :)

[AyeshaJamshed-mr]

Today I was really stuck in differentiating these two in front of my patient but now I'll made my diagnosis according to it

[emc]

Hello. I had a motorbike accident, 3 and a half months ago. During that accident, I got broken bones in my left shoulder. The fractures healed in almost 4 to 6 weeks but since then, I have not been able to lift my left arm completely above my shoulder level. The MRI result mentioned somethings like these : "Impingement syndrome with supraspinatus and subscapularis tendonitis and subacromial bursitis." Is there any chance that shockwave therapy could help my pain and stiffness on my shoulder? Can I fully raise my arm above my shoulder again? Thanks very much.

[tonyhaz]

Great video, been getting pain in mine and when I do the roos test, I have to stop at 8 hand pumps as pain is bad, arm is OK when down but stretching to get something under the table other day, pain was so bad I got hot and felt sick, not been tested for anything yet, but what's your thoughts on what is causing it.

[TexasgirlGrowing]

What can you do for someone older that is bone on bone the MRI showed? My Grandfather is 80 and thinks he can exercise with way back. But he’s in bad pain.

[ameliaashton-brooke]

I overstretched plugging in a table lamp and felt my shoulder "go". Told myself it would be better in the morning. 3 weeks later self refectory a physio at the local hospital who diagnosed torn rotator cuff. One month later pain is 10 fold and I can no longer raise my arm. Do I have both?

[ChuaShinEn]

What about rc tendinopathy vs frozen shoulder? Thank u 🥹🥹

[caitlinjc]

Very helpful video for my university work, when you talk about Rotator Cuff Tear Weakness, would this be predominately found through resisted muscle testing or would the patient report weakness during the subjective? Can you identify weakness from the objective without patients reporting it in the subjective? Thank you for your help! :)

[kmarlowe]

How about a degenerative partial tear of the rotator cuff? It seems the symptoms are harder to differentiate from frozen shoulder if there’s not an acute tear in the tendon caused by a sports injury, etc.

[STate-ltxq]

I’ve had an orthopedic-diagnosed frozen shoulder for 10 years. Surgery as well - nothing has worked to thaw it out, so I’ve learned to live with it. Cortisone shot did nothing either.

[CrisostomoIbarra]

Very correct in my case, a 49-year old male. To help my anxiety, my ortho had me an MRI with contrast and found a partial thickness rotator cuff tear (supra) and thickened coracohumeral ligament, among others (deltoid strain grade 1, etc). He had me on PT and when my PT tested me, PT said frozen shoulder on left shoulder. Me thinking my left-side sleeping may possibly be one of the culprit. My pain started September 2023, very painful and interrupted my sleep. Sometimes there are days totally-pain free but limited range of motion. November had my MRI and PT. December 20 range of motion very much improved though internal rotation is still gone 70%.