New pilot study on potential treatment of Frozen Shoulder

  • In 2017, Swedish Fascia Vibes was used on a few dozen people with Frozen shoulder which lead to improved shoulder and shoulder mobility
  • When the physician Håkan Borg learned of these treatment results, he suggested that a study should be conducted to scientifically test the effect of the treatment
  • In the spring of 2018, a pilot study by Physician Håkan Borg and Atlasbalans was initiated to investigate whether the Swedish Fascia Vibes treatment may have a positive effect for patients with observed Frozen Shoulder
  • Even more fascinating is the indication that thermography can be a way of exploring the association between tissue inflammation and pain
  • Now the intention is to do a follow up study with increased patient base with the hope of a new conceivable care process

Summary of the pilot study

A pilot study by Håkan Borg, Physician ENT-specialist, Hans Bohlin and Axel Bohlin, Atlasbalans AB. Approved by the Ethical Review Board of Stockholm, spring 2018.

AIM

Current FS treatment methods (cortisone, NSAID physiotherapy, and other manual treatments), have a limited positive effec. By using Swedish Fascia Vibes treatment, Atlasbalans has successfully improved the mobility and relaxation for around 50 patients with Frozen Shoulder.

In the spring of 2018, a pilot study by Physician Håkan Borg and Atlasbalans was initiated to investigate whether the Swedish Fascia Vibes treatment may have a positive effect for patients with observed Frozen Shoulder and whether the effect is long-term.

The secondary purpose of the study was to investigate whether thermography (thermal cameras) could be an instrument to determine whether inflammation in tissue and joint capsules associated with FS can be measured in temperature differences. Thermography also contributes to the anonymization of imagery. The study is approved by the Ethical Review Board of Stockholm.

 

METHOD

Five patients with observed Frozen Shoulder, all women, aged 41, 42, 51, 52 and 57, volunteered to participate in the pilot study. The mobility was documented before and after treatment in eight positions with thermographic photography using the FLIR T540 thermal camera.

A clear difference between movement in the left and right shoulder was noted on all patients. Notably, the thermographic images showed that the neck was much warmer than the other parts of the back in three out of five patients.

Swedish Fascia Vibes is a deep massage with a treatment machine using vibrations created by an electronic motor. Treatment of the neck, back and arm was performed with two machines for approximately 30 minutes in areas marked in Figure 3.

 

FINDINGS

Two patients received full mobility after the first treatment. All patients received increased mobility of 45 to 90 degrees. The concentration of heat in the neck area noted in three patients disappeared in all cases after treatment. The result indicates that there may be a correlation between inflammation in the tissue and pain, as demonstrated in previous studies (Gordh et al 2011, Mense et al., 2015, & Wilke et al. 2017).

The result of the pilot study indicates that massage with Swedish Fascia Vibes could be an effective treatment for patients with Frozen Shoulder. All patients reported that they experienced reduced pain, increased mobility and relaxation.

 

CONCLUSION

The result of this pilot study shows that Swedish Fascia Vibes may be an alternative treatment for patients with Frozen Shoulder. The study also shows that thermography could be a way to explore the connection between inflamed tissue and pain. Borg and Atlasbalans intends to carry out a continuation study with increased patient support for power calculation / statistical processing that can form the basis for a new conceivable healthcare process.

Why is this so important?

As there have been no effective treatments for the Frozen Shoulder before, the new treatment method is a groundbreaking step towards the right direction. As described by Håkan Borg, Atlasbalans has succesfully treated over 50 patients with Frozen Shoulder, and as described in his study, the effects are consistent and fast.

This study has several important implications. Many different groups of people are affected directly and indirectly by Frozen Shoulder:

 

Patients

Patients suffering from a Frozen Shoulder can finally cure the condition quickly, without having to suffer from it for years.

 

Manual therapists

Manual therapists can finally cure the condition which has been very difficult to cure before. Manual therapists have only been able to help with the symptoms before this treatment.

 

Doctors

Doctors who diagnose the Frozen Shoulder on a patient can send the patient to a therapist who can help with the condition, thus saving time, money, and helping the patient much faster than before.

 

Insurance companies

As with any condition, the Frozen Shoulder can be expensive for an insurance company, as they can be responsible for several different expenses related to doctor visits and rehabilitation.

Read more about Swedish Fascia Vibes by Fascia Innovation

UK Launch of Swedish Fascia Vibes by Atlasbalans

The UK Launch of Swedish Fascia Vibes by Atlasbalans was held in London on May 10-11th. “Very professional” states Linda Underwood who after the event decided to become one of the first British therapists working with this new Fascia Treatment.