Frozen shoulder is also called adhesive capsulitis. It causes persistent pain, stiffness, and limited mobility in the shoulder joint. If left untreated, the condition can gradually become more disabling over time. It primarily affects individuals between 40 and 60 years old, with women experiencing it more frequently than men, and understanding what frozen shoulder is key to managing symptoms early and preventing long-term restriction.
What Is a Frozen Shoulder?
A frozen shoulder limits your ability to move the shoulder freely. Medically known as adhesive capsulitis, it develops when the tough tissue that surrounds the shoulder joint, called the capsule, becomes thickened, inflamed, and less flexible.
This capsule holds the ligaments that connect the top of your arm bone (humeral head) to the shoulder socket (glenoid), keeping the ball-and-socket joint stable and functional.
The term “frozen” shoulder comes from the way pain discourages movement. The less you move it, the stiffer the joint becomes. Over time, the capsule tightens further, locking the shoulder in place and further restricting motion. Learning what is a frozen shoulder can help you recognize the signs early and seek proper treatment.
Frozen Shoulder Symptoms
Frozen shoulder usually progresses gradually through three distinct phases:
Freezing phase: Shoulder movement becomes increasingly painful, and mobility starts to decline. This phase may last anywhere from 2 to 9 months.
Frozen phase: While the discomfort may decrease, the shoulder becomes significantly stiffer. Everyday tasks involving shoulder movement become more difficult. This phase typically lasts between 4 and 12 months.
Thawing phase: Mobility begins to return, and shoulder function gradually improves. This recovery stage can last between 5 and 24 months.
In many cases, the pain worsens at night, often disturbing sleep.
Frozen Shoulder Causes
The shoulder joint is situated within a protective capsule composed of connective tissue. When this capsule becomes thicker and tighter, it limits the joint’s ability to move freely, resulting in a condition known as a frozen shoulder.
Although the exact reason behind this reaction is unclear, it often follows long periods of shoulder inactivity. This can happen after undergoing surgery or recovering from an arm fracture, when the shoulder isn’t moved for an extended time.
Risk Factors
The following factors can maximize the risk of developing frozen shoulder:
Age: This condition is most common in adults between the ages of 40 and 60.
Gender: Women tend to develop frozen shoulder more commonly than men.
Shoulder immobility due to injury or surgery: Any incident that limits shoulder movement—such as wearing a sling, brace, or wrap can increase your risk. This includes injuries like a rotator cuff tear or fractures involving the collarbone, shoulder blade, or upper arm.
Diabetes: Around 10% to 20% of individuals with diabetes experience frozen shoulder.
Other medical conditions: Certain health issues, such as stroke, thyroid disorders (both underactive and overactive thyroid), Parkinson’s disease, and heart conditions, are linked to a higher risk. In cases like stroke, limited shoulder and arm movement plays a direct role; however, experts still don’t fully understand why other conditions contribute to the development of frozen shoulder.
Frozen Shoulder Treatment
In many cases, frozen shoulder gradually improves on its own, even without medical treatment.
Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or aspirin—classified as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—can ease both pain and swelling. If these aren’t effective, your physician might suggest a stronger prescription medication.
When symptoms become severe or show little progress, your doctor may explore additional treatment options, such as:
Corticosteroid injections are used to ease inflammation and improve mobility in the shoulder joint.
Joint distension involves injecting sterile fluid into the capsule to stretch the tissue and make shoulder movement easier.
Physical therapy can improve flexibility and strength, although it tends to be most effective during specific phases of frozen shoulder.
Arthroscopic surgery is a low-impact procedure that removes scar tissue if other treatments have failed.
Shoulder manipulation under anesthesia, which is rarely used today, is due to better results with arthroscopic surgery.
At Dr. Raj clinic patients receive advanced, patient-centered care tailored to their specific condition. For those exploring non-surgical alternatives, PRP treatment shoulder pain in Los Angeles has shown promising results in reducing inflammation and restoring joint function.
