What is frozen shoulder?
Frozen shoulder causes pain and restriction of both active and passive shoulder movement. Reaching overhead, dressing, grooming and sleeping on the affected side can become difficult.
Not every stiff or painful shoulder is frozen shoulder. Rotator-cuff problems, arthritis, injury, neck-related pain and other conditions may produce overlapping symptoms. Examination helps distinguish these patterns and decide whether imaging is needed.
Treatment changes with the stage and the person
Confirm the pattern
Assess pain, range of motion, strength, daily limitations and contributing medical factors.
Settle pain enough to move
Education, medication review and a selected injection may be discussed when appropriate.
Restore movement gradually
Rehabilitation is paced to avoid repeatedly aggravating an irritable shoulder while reducing stiffness.
Rebuild strength and function
Progress toward reaching, lifting, work, sleep and other individual goals.
Possible components of care
- Home exercise and supervised physiotherapy planning.
- Pain-management and medication review.
- Musculoskeletal ultrasound for selected diagnostic questions.
- Ultrasound-guided joint or related injection when clinically appropriate.
- Dry needling or acupuncture for selected accompanying muscle pain—not as a substitute for restoring shoulder movement.
- Referral when another diagnosis or surgical opinion is needed.
Frozen shoulder FAQs
How long does frozen shoulder take to recover?
The course varies considerably. Recovery is often gradual, and the plan should be adjusted to the stage, pain irritability, medical conditions and functional goals.
Should I force a stiff shoulder?
Aggressive exercise can worsen pain in an irritable shoulder. The appropriate intensity and progression should be selected after assessment.
Can an injection cure frozen shoulder?
An injection may help selected patients with pain and movement, but it is not a guaranteed cure and is generally considered alongside rehabilitation.