If you’re struggling with a shoulder that feels stiff, painful, and just won’t move freely on all movements, you might be dealing with frozen shoulder.
It can feel frustrating when simple things like reaching up to a shelf, brushing your hair, or even getting dressed become difficult. However, with the right physiotherapy approach, frozen shoulder can be improved, and you can get your movement back quicker.
What Is Frozen Shoulder?
Frozen shoulder (also called adhesive capsulitis) is a condition where the shoulder joint becomes stiff and painful and gradually loses all shoulder movement. It happens when the tissues around the shoulder joint become inflamed and tight.
It usually develops slowly and goes through three stages:
- Freezing stage – pain increases, and movement starts to become limited
- Frozen stage – pain may reduce, but stiffness worsens
- Thawing stage – shoulder slowly begins to loosen up again
This whole process can take months or even up to a year, but early treatment can help speed things up and reduce pain.
What Causes Frozen Shoulder?
Frozen shoulder can happen:
- After an injury or surgery where the shoulder was not moved for a while
- In people with diabetes, thyroid conditions, or autoimmune issues
- Most of the time no clear reason at all
- It’s most common in adults aged 40 to 60, and it tends to affect more women than men.
How Can Physiotherapy Help?
A physiotherapist plays a key role in managing frozen shoulder by:
- Reducing pain and inflammation through gentle treatments such as shoulder joint mobilizations and soft tissue massage
- Improving shoulder movement with specific stretching and mobility exercises
- Guiding you through each stage of recovery safely and providing the right advice
- Teaching you home exercises to get better progress between sessions
- Helping you avoid compensation (like overusing your neck, shoulder shrugs or back)
- Physio is not about pushing through pain — it’s about working at the right pace for your stage of recovery.
What Treatment Might Include
- Soft tissue massage or gentle shoulder mobilizations to ease pain
- Gentle hands-on techniques to relax tight muscles
- Targeted shoulder exercises to restore flexibility and strength
- Education on how to move and protect your shoulder during daily tasks
When Should You See a Physio?
If your shoulder pain:
- Has lasted longer than a few weeks
- Keeps getting worse
- Makes it hard to do daily tasks
- Feels stuck or stiff in all directions
You should see a physio as soon as possible to recover, achieve early recovery and get back to meaningful activities. Frozen shoulder can feel discouraging, but you don’t have to go through it alone. With the right treatment and support, your shoulder can recover quicker, and physiotherapy is one of the most effective ways to get there.
Book a physiotherapy session with our team today to understand more about your frozen shoulder and start your treatment to reduce pain, improve movement, and get you back to doing what you love most.
