ACCIDENT AT WORK, FEBRUARY 2003 

Mrs. H. was 29 and fit and healthy but with a history of neck pain. She worked at a local supermarket in Lincolnshire stacking shelves. One day she attempted to remove a heavy box from a shelf and the box fell onto the top of her right shoulder. She provided her medical notes during our first session of treatment. These are a synopsis of the notes;

23rd April 2003 Dr. diagnosed capsulitis and rotator cuff injury. Seroid injection into shoulder. One week later she could not move her shoulder pain was too great.  Dr diagnosed frozen shoulder. Sent for physiotherapy in May. 6 sessions of physio with little effect. Now in June has a gross abduction restriction  and much pain. In July certified as frozen shoulder and told it could take 2 years to heal.

Had 4 sessions with osteopath and little effect.
Now not able to work. and had no further treatment . Had untrasound scan at Lincoln County Hosp. Frozen shoulder confirmed.

Consulted Andy Thomas in February 2005. Diagnosis of massive contracture of trapezius muscle, considerable neck joint immobility, both shoulder blades immobile. 10% shoulder joint restriction . Thoracic spinal joints immobile, some as much as 80% loss of movement.

4 sessions of FMM produced full movement at the neck, both shoulders and made all shoulder and neck muscles normal tension. Pain free state created within 2 treatment sessions using deep neuromuscular treatment combined with slow mobilisation of spinal joints.

Returned to work immediately after treatment finished and no recurrence of pain. at June 2005

This is a common condition and commonly misdiagnosed. The assumption is usually made , that the patient  was normal and had no problem before the accident. In fact this patient was about to sue her employer but we advised that this was not wise because of this pre-existing condition.  Trapezius contracture of this magnitude is common today largely because of the amount of time people spend sitting and using computers and other immobilising devices. We experience in clinic substantial trapezius contracture in teenagers so we know that the problem is endemic to the upright position adopted by all humans. The conbination of immobile work patterns and the upright spine predispose all humans to this condition so that in the event of an accident there is usually a problem waiting to be made worse.