“Foam rolling cured my frozen shoulder”
After medications left her feeling even worse, Jennifer Chocron, 54, tried a simple stretching method for her frozen shoulder—and was amazed at how fast it restored her vitality!
Why did I even come here? This is too painful, Jennifer Chocron thought, walking off the dance floor at her usual Sunday afternoon salsa class. “In my twirly skirt, I looked the part and knew the steps, but my shoulder was so stiff that I couldn’t perform,” she says. “Lifting my arm to spin was impossible. Disappointed, I walked out of the class, leaving my life of dancing behind.
Stiff and sore
“I viewed myself as someone who didn’t let inconveniences get in my way, but there was no denying that my chronic shoulder problems were driving a wedge between me and the things I loved. I hated that I could no longer be active on the dance floor or play tennis with my husband. Heck, I couldn’t even zip my own dress.
“I’d suffered some level of discomfort in my right shoulder for 25 years. I definitely noticed the stiffness increase after age 49, when I went through menopause. Two years later, following the stress of moving houses and the jolt of being in a car accident, my pain was worse than ever.
“The sensation in my shoulder was like nothing I’d ever experienced. I would be fine, then I would lift my elbow and suddenly I couldn’t move. Stiffness would catch me, sending pain radiating down my arm. At first I shrugged it off thinking, It doesn’t hurt unless I try to move. But I needed to move a million times a day. I walked around the house wearing ice packs and felt like I was 100.
“When I couldn’t lift my arm to reach for something in the back seat of my car, I knew I needed to talk to a doctor. That’s when an orthopedist diagnosed me with ‘frozen shoulder,’ a condition where the tissue surrounding the shoulder joint becomes tight and inflamed.
“I tried cortisone shots, but they didn’t help with the pain and they triggered terrible side effects. I have type 1 diabetes, and the injections raised my blood sugar for a month. It made me angry that doctors didn’t think this complication was a big deal. They seemed focused on following their formula for curing pain, regardless of what it did to my overall health.
“Wanting to avoid those awful shots—as well as desperately trying to sidestep surgery for a bicep tear that had occurred during the car accident— I tried what felt like every possible pain remedy: chiropractic adjustments, Pilates and even platelet-rich plasma injections using my own blood. Still, my issues grew worse. Through it all, I held out hope that things would get better. But I had been living with frozen shoulder for so long, the pain sort of seemed to be a part of who I was.
A soothing fix
“One day I was a chatting with a friend about my pain and she told me about a physical therapist who was having success treating shoulder patients. I didn’t know if anything would work for me. But I decided to pay this woman a visit, telling myself: This is the last try.
“I met Vivian Eisenstadt at Vivie Therapy. She taught me how to massage my damaged areas with a foam roller— a 36"-long tube that looks like a fat, firm pool noodle. I also learned to position the roller under my spine lengthwise so I could get a deep stretch to break up the stiff, inflamed tissue and improve my overall range of motion. My body was tight, but it felt fantastic to get my circulation moving—the same way massages can ‘hurt so good.’
“Amazingly, I was noticing gradual improvements each week. When I started, I couldn’t bend my right arm, but before long, I could stretch and reach. Overall, my body felt more loose, flexible and relaxed. Plus, those painful ‘catches’ were happening less often. Seeing progress made me motivated to do my easy rolling ‘homework’ three times a week at home.
“I remember standing in my kitchen feeling particularly stiff one day, so I took a break to roll my upper back and shoulders. Within minutes, I was able to get back to cooking dinner, feeling more comfortable than I had in hours.
“Throughout this journey, I was able to look at my whole health picture. I started eating an anti-inflammatory diet to help prevent future shoulder flare-ups. And I learned to use essential oils, rubbing them on my skin before foam rolling. It felt like a dream and fueled my recovery! I even started an essential oil business to help others (MyDoTerra.com/JenniferChocron).
“Now, after just four months of foam rolling, I’m seeing lasting healing for the first time in decades. And I no longer need surgery! Best of all, I never feel my age—I feel younger. I’m back to salsa dancing with my husband and I’m ready to make up for lost time!”
—as told to Lisa Maxbauer