How To Tell If You Have a Frozen Shoulder
Our physiotherapy expert explains shoulder pain diagnosis, what to expect from frozen shoulder - and the path to recovery
Contrary to what its name suggests, this condition does not involve sub-zero temperatures.
What is frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder, or in medical terms ‘adhesive capsulitis’, is a condition where ligaments and capsules around the shoulder get a little bit fibrotic. It leads to reduced range of motion and painful movement. As you read this, you may think, “well my shoulder is painful and I can hardly move it, I think I might have a frozen shoulder.”
What is not frozen shoulder?
Let’s hold our horses for one second here. The vast majority of shoulder pain is not frozen shoulder. Shoulder pain accompanied with limited range of motion (ROM) is super common and caused by a wide variety of mostly benign and temporary issues.
Who’s most likely to get frozen shoulder?
Here’s what the current research says:
Frozen shoulder affects two to five percent of the general population
Risk factors for frozen shoulder include: diabetes mellitus and thyroid disease
Frozen shoulder more commonly affects females and those between the ages of 40-65
You’re more likely to get frozen shoulder if you have had a previous episode of it. We acknowledge here that life is not fair.
What to expect if you have frozen shoulder
There are four stages of frozen shoulder:
Zero to three months: You may experience sharp pain with movement, achy pain at rest and some sleep disturbances. During this stage, there are typically minimal changes to your range of motion.
Three to nine months: During this time, you may experience a gradual loss of shoulder motion in all directions
Nine to 15 months: the ‘frozen’ stage: During this stage, the shoulder has limited range of motion and can be quite painful
At 15 - 24 months: the ‘thawing’ stage: During the final stage, pain levels decrease, but the stiffness of the shoulder can persist a bit.
Treatment for frozen shoulder
If you’re experiencing shoulder pain and a gradual loss of range of motion, see a physiotherapist for a full assessment. It is important to know what you’re dealing with, and most often you’ll get the good news that you have an irritated shoulder that shouldn’t take long to start feeling better. Physiotherapists will lay it all out for you. They’ll give you great advice, do some manual therapy to help your pain, and suggest shoulder exercises and things you can do on your own to speed this along.
“When it is frozen shoulder, the practice guidelines recommend an intra-articular corticosteroid injection combined with specific shoulder mobility exercises.”
When it is frozen shoulder, the practice guidelines recommend an intra-articular corticosteroid injection combined with specific shoulder mobility exercises. To make these treatment decisions, your physiotherapist will work with your family doctor to ensure the best path for you. In the later phases of adhesive capsulitis, treatment will focus on pacing, activity modification, and optimizing functional movement to build up your range of motion and strength again.
Stay active, healthy & positive
Frozen shoulder can be a tough one to come to terms with as the duration of the condition can last as long as two to four years. Although it’s a lengthy process, stay positive, and know that things will improve. While dealing with any injury, ensure you continue to make healthy choices along the way: eat well, drink lots of water, don’t smoke, prioritize sleep, manage stress, and keep moving. Your body has an innate ability to adapt and heal – so don’t underestimate how powerful that can be.
At Tall Tree Health, our Registered Physiotherapists are leaders, educators and innovators in their field, and you can expect the highest standard of care. Reach out for a consultation today if you have any questions about shoulder pain.
Steve Young, Physiotherapist
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