A Fall That Changed Everything

In late summer, Grace slipped and fell on the hardwood floor of her home, landing directly on her right shoulder. She sought care at a local immediate care clinic and was referred to an orthopedic surgeon, who diagnosed a shoulder fracture. Physical therapy was prescribed as the initial course of treatment.

Despite months of consistent therapy, Grace’s shoulder stiffness worsened. She could not lift her arm above shoulder height, her workouts stopped entirely, and frustration began to set in.

When Physical Therapy Wasn’t Enough

Grace shared her concerns with her physical therapist, who recommended she seek evaluation from a shoulder specialist. She was referred to Dr. Grant Garrigues at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush and quickly scheduled an appointment at the Oak Brook office.

After reviewing her MRI, Dr. Garrigues identified the cause of her limited motion.

“He explained that I had developed a lot of scar tissue in my shoulder joint,” Grace says. “He called it frozen shoulder, and that’s exactly what it felt like.”

Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, occurs when the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint thickens and tightens, severely limiting the range of motion.

A Minimally Invasive Solution for Frozen Shoulder

Because Grace had already completed extensive physical therapy without improvement, Dr. Garrigues recommended an arthroscopic capsular release to restore motion.

“Most patients with frozen shoulder recover with time and physical therapy,” Dr. Garrigues explains. “But in some cases, the capsule becomes too thick and contracted. For those patients, we perform an arthroscopic circumferential capsulotomy, or ArCC procedure.”

The minimally invasive procedure uses a small fiber-optic camera to precisely release the tight scar tissue while preserving surrounding structures. Patients are encouraged to begin moving the shoulder immediately following surgery.

Grace felt confident moving forward.

“I had the procedure as an outpatient and went home the same day,” she says. “Everyone on Dr. Garrigues’ team was professional, kind, and incredibly reassuring. I felt very well cared for.”

Regaining Motion and Returning to an Active Life

Following her procedure at Rush Oak Brook Surgery Center, Grace was instructed to keep her shoulder moving with exercises performed hourly. She stayed disciplined and committed to the recovery plan.

“The surgery is very effective at restoring motion,” says Dr. Garrigues. “But it takes a motivated patient to maintain it. Grace’s dedication played a big role in her excellent outcome.”

Before long, Grace regained full mobility and returned to barre classes, strength training, and her active lifestyle.

“I’m so happy I chose this procedure with Dr. Garrigues,” she says. “I have my shoulder back, and I have my life back.”