For Ana V., a 52-year-old hairstylist from Brooklyn, shoulder pain wasn’t just inconvenient—it was career-threatening.
What began as occasional soreness in her dominant right shoulder escalated into:
Sharp pain with overhead movements
Difficulty dressing, reaching, or sleeping
A growing fear that her career was at risk
After seeing her primary care doctor and getting an MRI, Ana was diagnosed with adhesive capsulitis—commonly known as frozen shoulder.
She was told surgery might be an option down the line, or that she could try a steroid injection. But Ana wanted to avoid both.
At Brooklyn Pain Doctors clinic, we evaluated Ana’s shoulder and found:
Significant stiffness in all directions, especially external rotation
Pain with active movement and passive stretch
Weakness in rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers
No history of trauma—likely gradual onset due to overuse and postural factors
We determined Ana was a great candidate for conservative care combining manual physical therapy and acupuncture.
Her goals were:
✅ Regain shoulder range of motion
✅ Eliminate pain and sleep interruptions
✅ Avoid injections or surgery
✅ Return to full work duties without restrictions
Over 10 weeks, Ana followed an individualized, integrative treatment program:
✅ Acupuncture (2x/week):
To reduce inflammation in the shoulder capsule and decrease muscle guarding.
✅ Manual Physical Therapy:
Joint mobilizations, myofascial release, and passive stretching to gently restore movement.
✅ Targeted Shoulder Exercises:
Closed-chain and wall-assisted movement, progressing to TheraBand strengthening of the rotator cuff.
✅ Postural Corrections:
To address forward head/rounded shoulder posture that contributed to limited shoulder mechanics.
✅ Home Mobility Routine:
Daily active-assisted stretches using a towel and pulley to maintain gains between sessions.