Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), is a condition that leads to shoulder pain and stiffness eventually making it difficult to move upper arm and shoulder. Frozen shoulder symptoms begin gradually, worsen over time. Frozen shoulder treatment aims at bringing shoulder pain relief and improving range of motion (ROM) using physiotherapy techniques, modalities along with shoulder exercises guided by a physiotherapist.
ReLiva Physiotherapists have seen great success in treating frozen shoulder across physiotherapy clinics. “I came to ReLiva with a very painful shoulder. I was completely unable to move it. With the efforts of the doctors, I am happy that my shoulder started moving without any pain and now I can do all my work independently which earlier I could not do. The physiotherapist made me feel very comfortable and I felt I was in right hands,“ says Mr Sarabjeet Singh after his Frozen Shoulder Rehab programme at ReLiva Physiotherapy Clinic, Vashi. Based on the vast experience of our physiotherapists, we compile this post with tips for shoulder pain treatment and home remedies to care for frozen shoulder.
We also cover frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Frozen Shoulder.
About Frozen Shoulder
“Patients with frozen shoulder often sense most shoulder pain, while reaching for their wallet into their hip pocket. Activities like combing hair, driving, getting dressed – they all cause shoulder pain,” tells Dr Ashwini (PT), cluster Head at ReLiva Physiotherapy & Rehab.
What is often called frozen shoulder is characterized by pain and stiffness in the shoulder that turns everyday tasks into pain-filled challenges. It limits your range of motion and affects your quality of life.
A senior physiotherapist Dr Karishma Daswani adds, “Some may even wake up in the middle of night due to the discomfort caused by rolling over on the affected shoulder pain. These are some of the common things that we hear from people with shoulder pain or Frozen Shoulder to be specific.”
Frozen Shoulder is almost always found in the 40+ age group, usually in the 40-70 age range. Approximately 3% of the population will be affected by this, with slightly higher incidence amongst women, and five times higher incidence in diabetics.
If you have frozen shoulder, you will typically experience shoulder pain, followed by increasing stiffness. The stiffness may affect your ability to carry out everyday activities and, sometimes, you may not be able to move your shoulder at all.
Tips to Ease Your Frozen Shoulder Symptoms
- Use a hot pack on your shoulder for 10 to 15 minutes several times each day. Place a thin towel between your skin and the hot pack to prevent a burn.
- Move your arm often, every hour if possible.
- Use medication as prescribed by your doctor.
- Sleep Comfortably: If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your involved arm and allow your hand to rest on your stomach. If you sleep on your side, sleep on the uninvolved side hugging a pillow across your chest.
- Sitting Positions: Sit with good posture. Avoid slumping and slouching. Try to keep your shoulders back and down, away from your ears.
A visit to your physiotherapist may be beneficial to help you regain normal functional use of your arm. Your Physiotherapist can help you manage the pain and provide you with strategies to help you start using your arm normally again. Call us at +91 9920991584 or contact us by clicking here and we will connect you to a qualified physiotherapist near you.
How does Frozen Shoulder progress?
Frozen shoulder typically develops slowly, and in three stages. Each of these stages can last a number of months.
- Painful stage: During this stage, pain occurs with any movement of your shoulder, and your shoulder’s range of motion starts to become limited. This stage lasts for 3 to 9 months.
- Frozen stage: Pain may begin to diminish during this stage. However, your shoulder becomes stiffer, and your range of motion decreases notably. This stage lasts from 4 to 12 months.
- Thawing stage: During the thawing stage, the range of motion in your shoulder begins to improve with recovery. It may take anywhere from 12 to 42 months.
Why does one get frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder, in short, is the thickening and inflammation of the shoulder capsule. It develops when you stop using the shoulder joint normally due to a shoulder injury, a surgery to any part of the upper body, motor impairment disorders (most neurological conditions), diabetes, heart conditions etc.
What is the best treatment for frozen shoulder?
You can try all sorts of treatments like massages, acupuncture, bracing, medication etc., which will definitely give you a temporary sensation of pain relief, but without aggressive Physiotherapy rehab, you may end up having a permanent disturbance in shoulder movement.
Studies3 have concluded that various physiotherapy techniques like hot packs, ultrasound, capsular stretches, strengthening exercises and home regime have a significant effect in reducing pain, increasing range of motion and stiffness of joints in frozen shoulder. That is why at ReLiva, a Physiotherapy rehab program for frozen shoulder includes a combination of electrotherapy, manual therapy and exercise therapy.
Watch the testimonial for recovery experience from frozen shoulder in this video 
Does Frozen Shoulder Go Away on its Own?
Frozen shoulder is known as a self-limiting condition. There is hope — it can thaw spontaneously1— but many people will be frozen to some degree for a long time, measured in years.2
According to medical experts, it will eventually go away. Meaning, you’ll get habituated to the condition but never really gain back full and proper range of movement at the shoulder, unless otherwise treated.
How Long Does the Shoulder Pain Last?
Frozen shoulder pain can last anywhere between 2 – 12 months, without any intervention, after which you start perceiving less pain and start regaining some shoulder movements. With proper treatment, the time period can be reduced to half its natural time.
Is Massage Good for Frozen Shoulder?
‘Soft tissue release’ done by Physiotherapists aid in relieving symptoms of frozen shoulder by improving blood circulation and breaking down scar tissue. This scar tissue often develops when the shoulder and its surrounding structures become stiff.
Why is Physiotherapy Required for Frozen Shoulder?
This condition though self-limiting, leads to decreased movement at the shoulder joint. Even though pain may reduce to negligible after a particular time, stiffness and range will continue to remain affected.
Physiotherapy is required to properly align the tissues during the healing phase in order to prevent complications and return to the desired functional status. It utilises a combination of therapies, as detailed underneath.
- Electrotherapy will aid in pain reduction and healing promotion.
- Manual therapy will help in regaining joint range of movement and pain reduction.
- Exercise therapy will help in maintenance, improvement and prevention. It also aids in stabilization, strengthening and return to function.
If you’ve had an injury that makes it difficult to move your shoulder, talk to a physiotherapist about it. Call us at +91 9920991584 or contact us by clicking here and we will connect you to a qualified physiotherapist near you.
Can ‘Frozen Shoulder’ be Permanent?
If not treated adequately, even though the symptoms may have reduced along its course, movement impairments will be permanent.
Can Heat help Frozen Shoulder?
Heating the shoulder can help improve blood circulation and increase the pliability of the soft tissues in order to aid good movement. Thus, heating helps relieving pain and the feeling of stiffness. Do know that it helps but helps only temporarily. The ultimate aim is to recover and regain shoulder movement without pain. A physiotherapist will use heat or modality to bring pain relief and follow it up with suitable exercises to improve range of movement of the shoulder joint for full recovery of your shoulder.
Is Frozen Shoulder a Sign of Parkinson’s?
Frozen shoulder isn’t a sign of Parkinson’s disease, meaning, every person who has frozen shoulder isn’t susceptible to getting Parkinson’s, which is a disorder of the brain. But frozen shoulder can be a symptom of Parkinson’s disease. That means, every Parkinson’s patient is susceptible to getting frozen shoulder because of the lack of proper movement at the joint.
[Read lesser know facts about Parkinson’s by clicking here]
Ice or Heat, Which is Better for Frozen Shoulder?
Ice and Heat serve different purposes, depending upon the chronicity of the condition or the cause of the condition.
- Cold therapy helps in very acute stages of frozen shoulder (2 weeks from the initiation of pain), to reduce sharp pain and inflammation if any, caused by an underlying injury.
- On the other hand, heat helps improve pliability, blood circulation and reduce the feeling of stiffness in the absence of acute inflammation.
Your physiotherapist will know when to use which of the two for maximum effect. Call us at +91 9920991584 or contact us by clicking here and we will connect you to a qualified physiotherapist near you.
What are the Causes and Risk Factors associated with Frozen Shoulder?
Prolonged immobilization of the shoulder, such as after surgery (mastectomy) or an arm fracture usually affects woman above the age of 40 years. People who have certain medical problems appear to be predisposed to develop frozen shoulder. Examples include:
- Diabetes
- Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
- Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
- Cardiovascular disease
- Tuberculosis
- Parkinson’s disease
Any home remedies for Frozen Shoulder?
If you have Frozen shoulder, here are some Do’s for you at home
- Continue to move your shoulder else it will progress to the next stage of stiffness.
- Use hot pack before exercise for improving movement, relaxation and reduction in pain.
- Continue to use the shoulder for more functional activities like combing hair, reaching out for over-head objects etc.
- Keep your diabetes under control.
- Take your pain medications on time.
If you have Frozen shoulder, here are some Don’ts for you at home
- Avoid vigorous shoulder movements.
- Avoid wearing an arm sling even if it keeps your arm in a pain-free zone. Remember, you have to keep moving your arm.
In case you or a loved one is facing restricted movement in the shoulder, do not wait any longer for the symptoms to worsen. Ask for a call back by filling the form by clicking here or Call us right away at +91 992099 1584 and we will connect you to a physiotherapist close to you.
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Scientific References:
[1] Eljabu W, Klinger HM, von Knoch M. Prognostic factors and therapeutic options for treatment of frozen shoulder: a systematic review. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2016 Jan;136(1):1–7. PubMed #26476720. “Spontaneous recovery to normal levels of function is possible.”
[2] Clement et al paints quite a grim prognosis, with as many as 40% experiencing “persistent symptoms and restricted movement beyond 3 years,” and a troubling 15% left with “permanent disability.” Much more recently, Hand et al looked at many more cases (223) after about 4 years on average. Although they confirmed that 40% still had symptoms, almost all of them were mild (94%), and “only 6% had severe symptoms with pain and functional loss.”
[3] Punia, Sonu & Sushma,. (2015). Effect of Physiotherapy Treatment on Frozen Shoulder: a Case Study. Indian Journal of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy – An International Journal. 9. 136. 10.5958/0973-5674.2015.00028.3.
