Frozen Shoulder

What is a frozen shoulder?

A frozen shoulder is stiffness and pain in the shoulder.

How does it occur?

A frozen shoulder usually starts after a shoulder injury that causes pain and does not allow you to move your shoulder enough. Sometimes, a frozen shoulder may occur for no known reason. If you have limited movement of your shoulder for weeks, months, or years because of an injury, the capsule around the shoulder joint may get very stiff. Your shoulder may develop scar tissue, or adhesions, in the joint.

What are the symptoms?

Your shoulder will lose the ability to move in all directions. You may not be able to lift your arm above your head or be able to scratch your back. You may feel grinding or pain when moving your shoulder.

How is it diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will examine your shoulder and may take X-rays. You may also have an MRI. In some cases, you may have an arthrogram (an X-ray or an MRI of your shoulder after dye is injected into your shoulder joint).

How is it treated?

To treat this condition:

• Put an ice pack, gel pack, or package of frozen vegetables, wrapped in a cloth on the area every 3 to 4 hours, for up to 20 minutes at a time.
• Your provider may give you a shot of a corticosteroid medicine into your shoulder joint to help with pain and swelling
• Take an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen, or other medicine as directed by your provider. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) may cause stomach bleeding and other problems. These risks increase with age. Read the label and take as directed. Unless recommended by your healthcare provider, do not take for more than 10 days.
• Your healthcare provider will probably send you to physical therapy for a supervised exercise program. You will also be given exercises to do at home. Follow your provider’s instructions for doing exercises to help you recover.

If your shoulder doesn’t get better with exercises and medicine, you may need a procedure to break up the scar tissue in your shoulder. For this procedure you are put to sleep with a general anesthetic and your provider moves your shoulder in various directions to break up the adhesions (bands of scar tissue). You may need arthroscopic surgery to see if there are other causes for your frozen shoulder.

How long will the effects last?

The length of recovery depends on many factors such as your age and health, and if you have had a previous shoulder injury. The effects of a frozen shoulder can be long lasting and can get worse without treatment.

When can I return to my normal activities?

Everyone recovers from an injury at a different rate. Return to your activities depends on how soon your shoulder recovers, not by how many days or weeks it has been since your injury has occurred. In general, the longer you have symptoms before you start treatment, the longer it will take to get better. The goal is to return to your normal activities as soon as is safely possible. If you return too soon you may worsen your injury.

You may safely return to your normal activities when:

• Your injured shoulder has full range of motion without pain.
• Your injured shoulder has regained normal strength compared to the uninjured shoulder.

How can I prevent a frozen shoulder?

After you have had an injury to your shoulder it is important that you do not limit your shoulder motion for a prolonged period of time. It is important to do your shoulder rehabilitation exercises as they have been prescribed. If you feel that you are losing range of motion in your shoulder you should see your healthcare provider.