What is a Frozen Shoulder?

Many people visit their GP with shoulder pain, and many are told it’s a Frozen Shoulder. This may not always be the case so here is our advice on the condition.

A frozen shoulder (medically known as Adhesive Capsulitis) happens when the tissue around your shoulder joint becomes inflamed. The tissue then gets tighter and shrinks, which causes pain and loss of movement.

Only about three out of 100 people will get frozen shoulder at some point in their life. You’re more likely to get frozen shoulder if you’re aged between 40 and 60, and it’s slightly more common among women.

There are two main symptoms of frozen shoulder:

1. A dull or aching pain in your affected shoulder, which is often worse when you move your shoulder joint and at night.

2. Stiffness around your shoulder joint that may stop you from moving your shoulder normally. This can make it difficult to do everyday tasks, such as driving or dressing yourself.

A frozen shoulder usually develops in several stages, which may overlap:

▪️Painful or ‘freezing’ phase. This phase can last for two to nine months. You’ll slowly develop pain that’s worse when you move, and can become constant. Your shoulder will become stiffer. Frozen shoulder may be hard to diagnose at this early stage.

▪️Stiffness or ‘frozen’ phase. This phase can last for up to a year. Your frozen shoulder will probably be less painful, but moving it in any direction will be much harder affecting everyday activity.

▪️Resolution or ‘thawing’ phase. This recovery phase may take up to several years. You’ll gradually begin to get normal movement back in your shoulder. You may still feel some pain though, until it’s completely better.

If you feel you need any advice on your shoulder let us know 👍🏼