Frozen shoulder (also referred to as adhesive capsulitis) is a condition often diagnosed when someone experiences ongoing shoulder stiffness and pain that lasts at least several weeks at a time. It’s most likely to develop when inflammation increases around the shoulder due to
Frozen shoulder (also referred to as adhesive capsulitis) is a condition often diagnosed when someone experiences ongoing shoulder stiffness and pain that lasts at least several weeks at a time. It’s most likely to develop when inflammation increases around the shoulder due to shoulder immobility or problems stretching and flexing the shoulder normally.This commonly occurs when someone is recovering from an injury. Frozen shoulder sometimes occurs when someone is wearing a sling or cast, healing from surgery, suffering from arthritis or experiencing a limited range of motion for another reason, such as a result of a sedentary lifestyle.
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons estimates that between 2 to 5 percent of the adult population experiences frozen shoulder at any given time. (1) Most people develop frozen shoulder in stages and experience persistent muscle or joint pain, along with stiffness, for several months or more.
It’s not uncommon for frozen shoulder to last for up to a year if left untreated, which can make it hard to exercise, sleep normally and go about other normal life activities pain-free. Usually, the longer shoulder pain persists, the more limited mobility becomes. This only tends to make frozen shoulder pain worse in the long run.
Early treatment of frozen shoulder using targeted shoulder exercises, stretches and natural anti-inflammatory applications can help control symptoms and prevent worsening stiffness. Harvard Medical School calls shoulder stretching exercises “the cornerstone of treating frozen shoulder.”
Older people, and those with other medical conditions related to high levels of inflammation (like diabetes or thyroid problems), are more likely to experience frozen shoulder, so controlling these conditions through a healthy lifestyle also helps lower the risk for injury and complications.
Frozen Shoulder Symptoms
The most common symptoms of frozen shoulder include:
- stiffness in and around the shoulder; this usually happens in one shoulder at a time (not both) and is more likely to return in the same shoulder. However, the American Physical Therapy Association reports that people who have had a frozen shoulder in one arm have about a 20 to 30 percent chance of developing it in the other arm as well. (2)
- muscle, joint and bone pain in and around the shoulders or arms
- limited range of motion
- having trouble moving and using the shoulders or arms normally (such as having trouble reaching, getting dressed, driving, holding objects in front of you, carrying things and sleeping normally) (3)
The majority frozen shoulder cases typically develop gradually, with symptoms becoming worse over several weeks or months. Doctors usually categorize frozen shoulder progression into three to four stages, each one which typically lasting 1 to 3 months and causing different levels of pain and stiffness. The symptoms of frozen shoulder depends on which stage they are in.
The Hospital For Special Surgeries in New York City categories the four stages of frozen shoulder as:
the initial “pre-freezing stage,” the “freezing stage,” the “frozen stage” and the final “thawing stage.” (4) In the freezing stage, movement of the shoulder is limited and the area around the shoulder starts causing noticeable pain. The pain can decrease during the freezing stage, but stiffness can really set in at this point and even become severe.
The frozen Stage is characterized by a stiff shoulder, but it’s no longer painful at rest. The thickness and scarring of the shoulder capsule limits range of motion and causes pain during stretching or reaching. During the final thawing stage, 