06/08/2026
Is it frozen, or is it a tear? 🤔
Shoulder pain can be incredibly frustrating, but two of the most common culprits behave very differently under the surface:
❄️ Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis): This is an issue with the shoulder joint capsule itself. It becomes thick, inflamed, and tight. The hallmark sign? A massive loss of passive motion. If you try to lift your arm—or if someone else tries to lift it for you—it hits a hard physical wall.
💥 Rotator Cuff Tears: This is a structural issue with the tendons that stabilize the joint. Often, you can still physically move the arm through its full range if someone helps you (passive motion), but trying to lift it yourself (active motion) causes sharp pain, pinching, or weakness.
Both can severely limit your day, but they require completely different management strategies. Identifying the true root of the restriction is step number one to getting your movement back!
❓ Do you go to a physio first, or a manual osteopath / kinesiologist?
If you have a brand-new injury, sudden sharp pain, or suspect a structural tear, physiotherapy is your best first step. Physios specialize in the acute phase of healing, making clinical diagnoses, and reducing intense inflammation. Once the acute pain is settled, or if you are dealing with chronic stiffness and restricted mobility, a manual osteopath and kinesiologist steps in to release systemic restrictions, restore whole-body joint mechanics, and build functional strength to prevent it from happening again.
📍 Accepting clients in Moose Jaw. Let’s figure out what your shoulder actually needs to heal.
https://prairiemotiontherapy.janeapp.com/