Understanding the 3 Stages of Frozen Shoulder and How to Heal

What is Frozen Shoulder? The Science Simplified

Before we dive into the stages of frozen shoulder, let’s answer the basics: what is frozen shoulder?

Your shoulder joint is a ball-and-socket mechanism. Surrounding this joint is a capsule of connective tissue. In a healthy shoulder, this capsule is flexible, like a loose elastic sleeve that allows your arm to rotate freely.
However, in frozen Shoulder, this capsule thickens and tightens. Bands of scar tissue, called adhesions, form inside. It is like that loose sleeve suddenly shrinking and hardening, clamping down on the bone. This restricts movement and causes significant pain.

Why Does This Happen? Understanding Frozen Shoulder Causes

Doctors are still studying the exact triggers, but we know several clear risk factors. The frozen shoulder causes are often linked to systemic diseases.

• Diabetes: This is the big one. Research shows that people with diabetes are significantly more likely to develop this condition. The high blood sugar levels may cause collagen (the protein in your joint capsule) to become sticky and stiff [1].
• Immobilization: If you have kept your arm still for a long time due to a fracture, surgery, or stroke, you are at higher risk.
• Thyroid Disorders: Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can disrupt the hormones that regulate tissue health.

The 3 Stages of Frozen Shoulder: A Timeline of Pain and Recovery

The hallmark of this condition is that it evolves. It doesn’t stay the same. Clinicians divide the progression into three distinct stages of frozen shoulder. Identifying which stage you are in helps our orthopaedic team at Eskag Sanjeevani determine the best treatment.

Stage 1: The Freezing Phase (Painful Phase)

• Duration: 2 to 9 months.
• What it feels like: This is the most painful of all the Stages of Frozen Shoulder. The pain starts gradually but worsens over time. You will feel it mostly at night, often making it impossible to sleep on the affected side.
• Mobility: Your range of motion starts to limit. Reaching up for a shelf or behind your back becomes difficult.
• What’s happening inside: The shoulder capsule is inflamed. The body is reacting to this inflammation by starting to form scar tissue.

Stage 2: The Frozen Phase (Stiff Phase)

• Duration: 4 to 12 months.
• What it feels like: The sharp pain might actually decrease or become a dull ache. However, the stiffness takes over. Your shoulder feels “locked.”
• Mobility: This is the hardest stage for daily life. Simple tasks like washing your hair become a challenge. The capsule has thickened significantly.
• Key Identifier: During this stage of the Stages of Frozen Shoulder, the joint is physically restricted. Even if someone else tries to lift your arm for you, it won’t move past a certain point.

Stage 3: The Thawing Phase (Recovery Phase)

• Duration: 5 to 24 months.
• What it feels like: Finally, the “ice” begins to melt. The capsule slowly loosens up.
• Mobility: Your range of motion gradually returns to normal, or near-normal. The pain fades away.
• Recovery: While this is a natural progression, without proper frozen shoulder treatment, “thawing” can take years.

Diagnosis: How Do We Know for Sure?

You might be wondering, do I need an X-ray?

At Eskag Sanjeevani, our specialists start with a physical exam. There is a special test for frozen shoulder known as the “Apley Scratch Test,” where you try to touch the opposite shoulder blade. We also check for the “Capsular Pattern”—a specific loss of rotation that indicates the capsule is tight.

Usually, a frozen shoulder mri isn’t strictly necessary for diagnosis, as a doctor can identify the condition by moving your arm. However, an MRI helps us rule out other issues like rotator cuff tears. It shows the thickening of the capsule and the loss of fluid space in the joint [2].

Breaking the Ice: Frozen Shoulder Treatment Options

Treating the stages of frozen shoulder requires patience. The goal is to manage pain in the first stage and restore movement in the second and third stages.

• Medication: Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) help manage the intense pain of the Freezing stage.
• Steroid Injections: Injecting corticosteroids into the joint can provide rapid pain relief and reduce inflammation, especially if done in the early Stages of Frozen Shoulder [3].
• Hydrodilatation: This is a specialized procedure offered at advanced clinics like Eskag Sanjeevani. We inject sterile fluid into the joint capsule to stretch it out from the inside, providing immediate mobility improvement.
• Surgery: In rare, stubborn cases where conservative frozen shoulder treatment fails, arthroscopic surgery helps release the tight capsule.

5 Frozen Shoulder Exercises for Quick Relief

Movement is medicine, but it must be the right movement. Aggressive stretching during the painful “Freezing” stage can make things worse. However, gentle mobilization is key.

Here are 5 frozen shoulder exercises for quick relief that you can try at home (after consulting your doctor):

• Pendulum Stretch: Lean over a table, let your affected arm hang down loosely. Swing it gently in small circles using the momentum of your body, not your muscles.
• Finger Walk: Stand facing a wall. Touch the wall with your fingertips and slowly “walk” your fingers up the wall as high as you can without severe pain.
• Towel Stretch: Hold a towel behind your back (good hand on top, bad hand on bottom). Use the good hand to gently pull the towel up, stretching the stiff shoulder.
• Cross-Body Reach: Use your good arm to lift your affected arm at the elbow and bring it across your chest, holding for 15-20 seconds.
• Armpit Stretch: Lift your arm onto a shelf about chest high. Gently bend your knees to open up the armpit area.

Also Read:  Walk Pain-Free With Eskag Sanjeevani

Navigating the Stages of Frozen Shoulder with Eskag Sanjeevani

Living through the stages of Frozen Shoulder can be physically and emotionally draining. The pain disrupts sleep, and the stiffness disrupts life. But you do not have to wait for the “Thawing” phase to happen on its own.

At Eskag Sanjeevani Hospitals, our orthopaedic and physiotherapy departments work hand in hand. We have a great experienced orthopaedic team who are always at your service. Whether you need pain management for the Freezing stage or aggressive therapy for the Frozen stage, we are here to guide your recovery.

Don’t let your shoulder stay stuck. Let’s get you moving again.