What Are the Treatment Options for Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder causes pain and tightening around the shoulder joint, making reaching overhead, dressing or sleeping on that side difficult. Treatment is tailored to the stage of symptoms and the amount of movement lost. Gentle movement is usually more helpful than forcing a painful stretch; pushing too hard can aggravate the shoulder.

A physiotherapist can teach comfortable mobility work and later add strengthening as movement returns. Hydrotherapy uses warm water and buoyancy to make gentle shoulder exercises easier for some people. A cortisone injection may be discussed when pain is limiting sleep or rehabilitation. If symptoms remain severely limiting despite non-surgical care, a specialist may consider shoulder arthroscopy. Keep the shoulder moving within a tolerable range and adapt tasks that repeatedly trigger pain.

Seek an assessment when shoulder pain and stiffness interfere with dressing, work or sleep, particularly if movement is steadily worsening. Get prompt help after a fall, or for sudden weakness, marked swelling, fever, chest discomfort, breathlessness or new numbness in the arm.

Which phase of frozen shoulder am I in? Which movements should I practise, and which should I avoid? Would an injection help me participate in physiotherapy? When would a procedure be considered?