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Frozen shoulder treatment Easing pain and getting motion back through each stage
Frozen shoulder treatment depends on the stage. In the painful early “freezing” stage, the focus is pain control and gentle movement, and an injection guided by ultrasound can calm the inflamed joint lining. In the stiff “frozen” stage and the “thawing” stage, regular stretching and physical therapy slowly win back motion. Most frozen shoulders improve a great deal within one to two years, and treatment helps you sleep, move and work more comfortably along the way. Forcing the shoulder hard into pain tends to make it worse.
Frozen shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, happens when the capsule around the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, thickens and tightens. The shoulder becomes painful and then stiff in every direction, so reaching overhead, behind your back or out to the side all become hard. It most often affects people between 40 and 60, more often women, and it is more common with diabetes and thyroid problems or after a period of keeping the arm still. For other causes of shoulder pain, see our guide to shoulder pain treatment.
Is it frozen shoulder or a rotator cuff problem?
The two are easy to mix up. With a rotator cuff problem, someone else can usually lift your arm higher than you can lift it yourself. With frozen shoulder, the joint itself is tight, so the arm is stiff no matter who moves it, and turning the arm outward is often the most limited movement. A physician examines the shoulder and may use diagnostic ultrasound or an X-ray to rule out other causes, such as arthritis or a tear. If the exam points to the rotator cuff instead, rotator cuff treatment centers on strengthening; our rotator cuff exercises show the usual plan.
The three stages
- Freezing (about 2 to 9 months): pain builds, often worse at night and when lying on the shoulder, and motion starts to shrink
- Frozen (about 4 to 12 months): pain eases somewhat, but the shoulder is very stiff
- Thawing (about 6 months to 2 years): motion slowly returns
The stages overlap and the timing varies a lot from person to person.
Frozen shoulder treatment, stage by stage
When pain is the main problem
Gentle movement within comfort keeps the shoulder from tightening further: pendulum swings, table slides and short, easy stretches several times a day. Heat before stretching and a pillow under the arm at night help many people sleep. Your doctor can advise on pain medicine that is safe for you.
A shoulder injection
In the painful stage, a corticosteroid joint injection can calm the inflamed capsule and often eases pain faster than exercise alone, which makes stretching and sleep easier. The video shows a clinician using an ultrasound probe to see the joint and guide the needle, then cleaning the skin over the shoulder. The number of steroid injections in the same joint is limited, so an injection is used as a window to move more, not as the whole plan. Pain procedures are performed at all three offices, and your physician explains where and when yours will be scheduled.
Stretching and physical therapy
As pain settles, the goal shifts to winning back motion. A physical therapist uses manual therapy and teaches stretches such as:
- Outward rotation with a stick: elbow at your side, use a cane in the other hand to push the forearm outward
- Cross-body stretch: gently pull the arm across the chest
- Towel stretch: hold a towel behind your back and pull the sore arm upward with the other hand
- Finger walk: walk your fingers up a wall, a little higher each week
Hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds, to the point of a stretch rather than sharp pain. Physical therapy is offered at our Brooklyn and Staten Island offices. For more on loosening stiff joints, see regain mobility after injury.
If it does not improve
A small number of shoulders stay very stiff and painful despite many months of good treatment. A physician may then discuss a referral to an orthopedic surgeon about other options.
Living with a frozen shoulder
- Keep using the arm for light daily tasks within comfort
- Do short stretching sessions several times a day rather than one long, painful one
- Sleep on your back or the other side with a pillow supporting the sore arm
- If you have diabetes, keeping blood sugar steady supports recovery
More videos: frozen shoulder procedures and exercise
Two more clips from @precisioncaremedical. The first shows an ultrasound-guided shoulder procedure used when a stiff, painful shoulder is not responding to stretching alone; the second pairs a shoulder injection with the bike and resistance-band work that restores motion afterward. A shoulder joint injection is most useful in the painful “freezing” stage, and it works best alongside physical therapy, offered at our Brooklyn and Staten Island offices. Pain procedures are performed at all three offices, and your physician explains where and when yours will be scheduled. See also shoulder injury recovery, regaining mobility after an injury and our shoulder pain treatment page. For the types of shoulder injections and what to expect, see shoulder injection for pain.
When to see a doctor
Book a visit if shoulder pain and stiffness last more than a few weeks, wake you at night, or keep you from dressing or reaching. Get care quickly if the shoulder became stiff after a fall or looks deformed. Call 911 for shoulder or arm pain with chest pressure, shortness of breath or sweating. A pain management physician can confirm the diagnosis and plan treatment with you; our shoulder pain page covers other shoulder problems.
Related care at Precision Care Medical & Sports Performance
Frozen shoulder treatment near you
Looking for frozen shoulder treatment near me, or a shoulder pain doctor near me who can tell frozen shoulder from a rotator cuff problem? For care in Brooklyn, Ashley Marcus, MD sees patients at our Brooklyn pain management office on Shell Rd, near Gravesend, Coney Island and Sheepshead Bay, and the Brooklyn physical therapy team works on shoulder motion at the same office. On Staten Island, Jake Stephen, DO sees patients at our Staten Island pain management office, close to New Dorp, Grasmere and Great Kills, with physical therapy on site.
In Manhattan, Yuri Gordin, MD sees patients at the Precision Care Spine & Pain Center in Midtown Manhattan, 150 E 55th St, a short walk from Midtown East and Turtle Bay near the UN, and a direct trip from the Upper East Side and Spanish Harlem (East Harlem). Physical therapy is not offered at the Manhattan office. Request an appointment or call the office closest to you.
150 E 55th St, Suite 401, New York, NY 10022
(212) 840-0135
Questions patients ask
What is the best treatment for frozen shoulder?
It depends on the stage. Early on, pain control, gentle movement and sometimes an ultrasound-guided steroid injection help most. Later, regular stretching and physical therapy win back motion.
How long does frozen shoulder last?
Often one to two years from start to finish, though many people improve sooner with treatment. The painful stage usually settles first, and motion returns more slowly.
Does a steroid injection help frozen shoulder?
In the painful stage, an injection into the shoulder joint often eases pain faster than exercise alone, which makes stretching and sleep easier. It is used alongside stretching, not instead of it.
Should I stretch a frozen shoulder if it hurts?
Gently, yes. Stretch to the point of a stretch, not sharp pain, several times a day. Forcing the shoulder hard into pain usually makes it more inflamed.
Who gets frozen shoulder?
It is most common between 40 and 60, more common in women, and more likely with diabetes, thyroid problems or after the arm has been kept still for a while, such as after an injury or surgery.
Where can I get frozen shoulder treatment near me?
Precision Care Medical & Sports Performance physicians see patients in Brooklyn at 2781 Shell Rd, Suite 101, (718) 648-1234, on Staten Island at 1630 Richmond Rd, Suite 101, (718) 339-7100, and in Midtown Manhattan at 150 E 55th St, Suite 401, (212) 840-0135. Physical therapy is offered in Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Educational only, not medical advice. These videos and this article explain common problems and treatments in general terms. They are not a diagnosis or a treatment plan for you. Results vary from person to person. See a qualified clinician about your own symptoms, and call 911 or go to an emergency room for an emergency.
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