NAT - Frozen Shoulder Case History

Thanks to Dr. Bates and NAT, I got my life back...

Traditional approaches to the frozen shoulder either address the inflammation (steroid tablets, steroid injections and hydrodilatation) or the stiffness (physical therapy, exercise therapy and surgical manipulation).

Some therapists will attempt to improve the range of motion by forcing the shoulder through the blockage; this in our opinion can make the condition considerably worse.

How does NAT work?

NAT works differently. We keep the arm still whilst we apply a sequence of pressure points to specific tissues. The treatment can still be painful, especially in the early freezing phase, but it is no worse than the pain of the frozen shoulder (you will know what we mean if you have had one of those nasty spasms!).

The first few sessions of the technique initially address the inflammation in the rotator interval, after this the emphasis is on improving the range of motion. Depending how long you have had the problem and which phase you are in, results can be seen in as few as 4 sessions (range 4 -13).

NAT Clinical Trials 

Evidence for NAT has been supported by research at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, UK (Weis et al. 2003). Patents with long-standing shoulder pain and weakness treated with NAT demonstrated a significant improvement in active range of motion (P<0.002) and in strength and power (P<0.046) over and above standard physical therapy and a hands-on placebo, even though no exercises were given to the NAT group.

NAT Trigger Point Peer Reviewed Evidence

Presented in (peer reviewed) IJOM Journal, a 2014 study followed the progress of 153 patients with adhesive capsulitis treated by 4 independent practitioners in the Unites States, UK, and Israel.

The evidence strongly supported the notion that the trigger point technique NAT improves ROM, decreases pain, and is independently reproducible.

NAT is practiced by over 40,000 therapists in 18 countries.Thanks to Martin Bates D.C., for forwarding the following case history:

Name: Chris Taylor

Occupation: Sit down job in a high tech company

Age: 32

Activities: Cycling, Pilates, Working out at the gym

Diagnosis: Frozen Shoulder resulting from a sports injury

Symptoms: Pain, shoulder locked, unable to move arm and shoulder

Therapist: Dr. Martin Bates

Q. How did you originally injure your shoulder?

A. Last year, I twisted my shoulder during a casual football game with some friends. It was painful and stiff for about a week, and then with the help of medication the pain faded and it went away. It wasn’t a very serious injury.

Q. What did your physician suggest?

A. I got pain killers and anti-inflammatory medication from my doctor. They worked really well at the time; I was happy with the results.

Q. What were your most recent symptoms?

A. After almost a year; my shoulder seized up during a Pilates class. It became extremely painful and eventually I couldn’t move my arm or shoulder at all. I was in so much pain that I couldn’t sleep at night. The medications I got from my doctor hardly had any effect at all on the pain and inflammation.

Q. How did Frozen Shoulder affect your life?

A. I had to stop working out and participating in sports completely. Since I spend most of my free time doing something active, that was really difficult for me. And being at work was difficult and painful. Just to sit at my desk was excruciating. I had to take a lot of time off work and that has caused me some problems.

Q. What did Dr. Bates recommend in terms of treatment?

A. He suggested that this time we try something different than regular chiropractic treatment, and he told me about NAT. He was very enthusiastic about the method and the potential benefits, and I trust him, so I agreed. I’m so glad I did, because the results were just amazing.

Q. How many NAT sessions did you do?

A. For the first two weeks, we did two sessions every week. After that we reduced the number of treatments to once a week for a couple of months.

Q. How long did it take for NAT to have an effect on you?

A. It took 5 sessions for me to start feeling a significant improvement. I got a lot of my range of motion back and was able to move my arm and shoulder again. I was able to go back to participating in some of the sports I enjoy.

Q. Did you notice any additional improvement as the sessions progressed?

A. Oh yes, I certainly did. I continued to improve as the sessions progressed until I felt that I was completely cured. I still go for NAT sessions once a month to keep my muscles tuned and to prevent a future sports injury. I actually consider it to be an essential part of my health regimen.

Q. Would you recommend NAT to a friend with Frozen Shoulder?

A. Yes, I would definitely recommend NAT to anyone who has a shoulder injury, or a back injury, or anything else the technique can treat. I would also recommend it to someone without an injury as a way to prevent harm and keep your body finely tuned. NAT actually changed my life. When my symptoms first came back; I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to continue to do all the sports and outdoor activities I enjoy. I was in so much pain that I could hardly function or concentrate. Thanks to Dr. Bates and NAT, I got my life back.

“For 90% of the patients I’ve treated with NAT, the
results have been phenomenal"

Dr. Bates graduated as a chiropractor from Palmer College West in California in 1985. He established his own practice, Bates Chiropractic Inc, almost immediately in Freemont, California. For thirty years he has been successfully using chiropractic treatment and other manual therapy modalities such as NAT, while his wife runs the office.