Frozen Shoulder Hereditary?

Given the fact that there isn’t a lot of research on frozen shoulder compared to other conditions, there are still a lot of questions that one may have: Can I get it in my other shoulder? Is frozen shoulder caused by a virus? Is there a hereditary factor? If one or both my parents had frozen shoulder, does that mean I’m at risk of getting it?

Is frozen shoulder hereditary?

This is uncertain.  Although there have not been any direct genetic links proven, . Hereditary conditions like diabetes  and autoimmune thyroid disease, arthritis, do have genetic links which make a person more likely to develop adhesive capsulitis frozen shoulder if they develop these conditions.

The founder and originator of the MCD Procedure to fix frozen shoulder, Dr Allan Gary Oolo-Austin warns that, if both your parents had frozen shoulder, you may be very predisposed to develop it. If you are genetically more similar to one of your parents and, if that parent developed frozen shoulder, you may also be genetically predisposed to develop the initiating factors that caused the frozen shoulder in that parent. 

Dr. Oolo-Austin, has determined that there are 3 common denominators in patients suffering with adhesive capsulitis frozen shoulder. He calls this the “Frozen Shoulder Etiology Triad”. He states that frozen shoulder almost always have a hormonal imbalance such as menopause, diabetes, thyroid conditions, adrenal stress, testosterone imbalance, etc.

So if frozen shoulder doesn’t run in the family, am I in the clear?

Even if frozen shoulder itself isn’t hereditary, if you have one or more of the frozen shoulder common denominators, you should try your best to eat an anti-inflammatory diet. See below for lists of foods to avoid and foods to incorporate into your diet (if you haven’t already!) Foods high in anti-oxidants also help decrease inflammation.

Pro-Inflammatory Foods to Avoid:

• White sugar, honey (unless raw, unheated, unpasteurized), high fructose corn syrup
• Partially hydrogenated oils (the type of oil does not matter, it is the process of partial hydrogenated that makes it pro-inflammatory)
• Foods in the nightshade family (i.e. tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, white potatoes–sweet potatoes are okay)
• Omega 6 Essential Fatty Acid (corn/corn oil, cotton seed oil, grape seed oil, peanuts/peanut oil, wheat/wheat germ, safflower oil, sesame and sunflower oil, soybeans/oil)

Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Consume:

• Raw almonds/almond oil, raw walnuts/oil, pumpkin seeds/oil
• Mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring
• Green leafy vegetables, purslane
• Mung beans
• Chestnuts

If one or both your parents have had frozen shoulder, you should take care to stay active and eat well. If you suffer from diabetes, thyroid conditions, or have a history of lower neck disc pathology or nerve compression, be extra careful. Frozen shoulder is an incredibly painful and debilitating condition. Arm yourself with knowledge so to prevent an adhesive capsulitis frozen shoulder!