Patient records:
Name: Budi
Age: 52 years old
Nationality: Indonesia
Diagnosis: Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
Treatment Hospital: Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
When his arm became "displayable," we found the key to restarting it.
52-year-old Budi is a successful Chinese businessman in Jakarta, spending most of his time working at a desk. Six months ago, he began experiencing a dull ache in his right shoulder, which he initially ignored. However, the pain gradually worsened, feeling like someone was chiseling at his bones with an ice pick, especially at night, often waking him up in agony. Even worse, his shoulder seemed to be "frozen" in cement; he couldn't lift his arm, making it impossible to perform basic actions like combing his hair, dressing, or even cleaning himself after using the toilet. His right arm became an expensive "ornament." In Indonesia, he tried various painkillers and massages, with little effect. Doctors told him it was "frozen shoulder," and he could only wait for it to "thaw" on its own, which could take one or two years. For Budi, who is always busy with work, every day without his right arm is a huge loss.
Budi found us through our Indonesian-language website. After a detailed review of his medical history and functional limitations, our medical consultant strongly suspected it was a classic case of frozen shoulder, already in the stiffening stage, requiring urgent professional intervention. We understood that simply waiting passively would not meet his needs. We recommended the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology at Longhua Hospital affiliated with Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This department has a unique approach to treating frozen shoulder using the "Shi's Traumatology" technique combined with needle knife endoscopy, effectively releasing adhesions and rapidly restoring joint function.
Before providing our services, our core principles are "precise triage" and "establishing expectations." We arranged for Budi to have a remote video consultation with an expert at Longhua Hospital. We had translated and prepared his shoulder MRI images and reports taken locally beforehand. During the consultation, the Longhua expert clearly diagnosed him with "frozen shoulder (adhesive stage)" and pointed out that the joint capsule was severely adhered. The expert explained the treatment plan in detail: under ultrasound guidance, using the minimally invasive technique of needle knife endoscopy, the adhered joint capsule was precisely released. Post-operatively, this was combined with the unique "Three Steps and Nine Methods" tendon-relaxing technique of "Shi's Traumatology" and traditional Chinese medicine fumigation to achieve the rehabilitation goal of "emphasizing both tendons and bones, and combining movement and rest."
Buddy arrived in Shanghai as scheduled . Our coordinator accompanied him throughout the process. The treatment was performed in the day ward of Longhua Hospital. The needle knife endoscopic surgery, through only a few millimeters of incision, clearly released the adhesions under the monitor, and the whole process took less than 30 minutes. Immediately after the surgery, the doctor performed manual release. When he heard the "click" sound of the adhesions being torn apart and saw his arm being passively raised above his head, Buddy was incredulous.
Surgery was just the beginning; rehabilitation was key. The rehabilitation consultant translated the personalized traditional Chinese medicine fumigation formula and home rehabilitation training plan prescribed by the Longhua experts into Indonesian and recorded follow-up videos. We taught Budi how to perform exercises like wall climbing and pendulum swings at home. After returning home, we established a "Shoulder Joint Function Recovery Tracking File," assessing his range of motion improvement weekly via video and providing feedback to the Longhua experts for remote guidance. A month later, Budi's right shoulder pain had largely disappeared, and his range of motion had recovered to 80%. With his newly flexible right hand, he signed his name on the contract, exclaiming, "My business is back!" We used the precise minimally invasive techniques of Longhua Hospital's Shanghai-style traditional Chinese medicine to melt Budi's "frozen" shoulder, restarting his business career.