Frozen Shoulder Pain and Adhesive Capsulitis

Treatment and prevention tips for frozen shoulder pain.

by Brad Walker | Updated March 26, 2021

Anatomy of the Shoulder Joint

The shoulder joint is a truly remarkable creation. It’s quite a complex formation of bones, muscles and tendons and provides a great range of motion, including flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, and internal and external rotation. The only downside to this extensive range of motion is a lack of stability, which can make the shoulder joint vulnerable to injury.

The shoulder is made up of three bones, and the tendons of four muscles. (Remember, tendons attach muscle to bone). The bones are called the “Scapula,” the “Humerus” and the “Clavicle.” Or, in layman’s terms, the shoulder blade, the upper arm bone and the collarbone, respectively.

The four muscles that make up the rotator cuff are called, the “Supraspinatus,” the “Infraspinatus,” the “Teres Minor” and the “Subscapularis.” It is the tendons of these muscles, which connect to the bones, that help to move your arm.

Frozen shoulder occurs in the shoulder joint at the point where the humerus bone fits into the socket of the shoulder, (the glenohumeral joint). The supporting ligaments and surrounding capsule become inflamed causing shoulder pain, stiffness, and limited motion.

Causes of Frozen Shoulder

The exact cause of frozen shoulder is unknown, however in several cases, frozen shoulder occurs after another shoulder injury like rotator cuff tear, arthritis, or shoulder surgery.

Also, poor posture can cause a shortening of the ligaments around the shoulder joint, which can lead to frozen shoulder. Other theories have suggested that hormonal and genetic conditions like diabetes and hyperthyroidism can also contribute to frozen shoulder.

Symptoms of Frozen Shoulder

The most common symptoms of frozen shoulder are pain and stiffness. Pain usually takes the form of a persistent dull ache and stiffness prevents the full range of motion of the shoulder and upper arm. Patients are often unable to lift the arm above their head or rotate their arm inward.

The normal progression of frozen shoulder has been described as having three stages.

Most sufferers of frozen shoulder will be fully recovered within 4 to 6 months, but some cases have lasted for up to three years, although these are extremely rare.

Frozen Shoulder Prevention

Mark my words, “Prevention is much better than Cure.” Anything you can do to prevent frozen shoulder from occurring is worth it. The prevention of frozen shoulder and other shoulder injuries comes down the conditioning of the shoulder muscles, tendons, and ligaments, which ultimately involves improving both the strength and flexibility (range of motion) of the shoulder joint.

Also, don’t forget common injury prevention techniques like, warming up properly and using a bit of old-fashioned common-sense. However, for the most part, stretching and strengthening are going to be your best defense against frozen shoulder. Even if you don’t have a shoulder problem now, the following recommendations could save you from a major injury in the future.

Frozen Shoulder Treatment

Frozen shoulder treatment primarily consists of pain relief and physical therapy techniques. Pain relief usually takes the form of anti-inflammatory medication and the aim here is to reduce the pain enough so that physical therapy can be initiated.

Two other forms of therapy should also be considered: heat and massage.

During this period of pain relief treatments physical therapy should also be initiated. This is an extremely important part of the treatment process and full recovery will not occur without a dedicated approach to physical therapy treatments.

Firstly, don’t stop moving. Some doctors will often tell patients to keep the injured area still, and this is not always the best advice. Gentle movement will help to keep the blood flowing to the injured area. Of course, if pain is present, limit the amount of moving you do, but don’t stop moving all together.

Next, specific stretching and strengthening exercises should be started to help loosen up the shoulder joint and speed up the recovery process.

Want more detailed treatment advice?

The recommendations on this page are a good starting point, but if you’ve got frozen shoulder, injured your rotator cuff, or you’re trying to recovery after shoulder surgery, take a look at my 7 Step Rotator Cuff Treatment System.

The 7 Step System is a systematic, step-by-step, proven method of reducing your pain, fixing your rotator cuff injury properly, and then making your shoulder so strong and stable you’ll never have to worry about shoulder pain again.

Visit the information page to see how to fix your frozen shoulder once and for all and restore pain free, unrestricted movement to your shoulder.