Physical therapy for frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is important because this condition can take two-three years to heal without treatment. You’re much likelier to heal faster with physical therapy. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons states that “physical therapy is the primary treatment recommendation for frozen shoulder” [Frozen Shoulder – Adhesive Capsulitis – OrthoInfo – AAOS].
Frozen shoulder affects 2-5 percent of the general population [1], and is “characterized by significant restriction of both active and passive shoulder motion that occurs in the absence of a known intrinsic shoulder disorder [2].” While its cause isn’t fully understood, frozen shoulder often follows a period of prolonged disuse or immobilization due to injury of the shoulder or another body part.
Frozen shoulder progresses in three phases: freezing (painful; 2-9 months), frozen (adhesive; 4-12 months) and thawing (5-26 months). During the freezing phase, your physical therapist will teach you light stretching/range of motion exercises, while doing soft tissue mobilization, manual stretching and low-level joint mobilizations. In the frozen phase, manual therapy becomes more aggressive, and low-level strengthening is added. Finally, the thawing phase includes the most advanced manual therapy, stretching and strengthening.
Physical therapy helps significantly with pain relief and the restoration of functional motion for this condition [3]. It can prevent the need for arthroscopic surgery or manipulation under anesthesia.
For more info, check out: Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis): Symptoms & Treatment (clevelandclinic.org)
1. Hsu JE, Anakwenze OA, Warrender WJ, Abboud JA. Current review of adhesive capsulitis. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2011;20:502–14.
2. Zuckerman JD, Rokito A. Frozen shoulder: a consensus definition. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2011;20:322–5.
3. Page P, Labbe A. Adhesive capsulitis: use the evidence to integrate your interventions. N Am J Sports Phys Ther. 2010; 5:266–73.