Frozen Shoulder - Exercises and physical therapy

Two things that helped me deal with the pain and allow me to have more success with my PT was a cortisone injection (I had one in the bursa sac and one right in the joint) and I had dry needling done to help relieve the tightness in the muscles around my shoulder. 

Stick with the PT but don’t push yourself to that point where you feel that level of pain. Stop the stretch right before it.  Each time you will get a little more out of the stretch.  With this crazy disease you have to look at the smallest gains as success. 

Hi Mary,

Sorry your pain is so bad. Those shooting pains that take your breath away are unbearable!

I've had FS for 1 yr and have done 2 rounds of PT (10 sessions each with a break of 2 mos in between). It had no noticeable impact at all...except to my wallet...lol. My pain was so bad at PT, I sometimes thought the therapist was making it worse. My orthopedist said it can depend on when you start - earlier is better and I was already 2 months in before I started.

Although painful during the tratments, I don't believe PT made me more stiff. I was hurting a lot on the days afterward so I finally stopped. For me, I find I do better with at-home exercises and stretches. Still have pain but not as bad.

I know others have had better results with PT. Like so much about this condition, there's no set answer. The only thing I would say with confidence is that PT shouldn't hurt so bad you feel like your arm will break. My ortho said you should feel discomfort but not pain.

Good luck. I hope you are on the mend soon!

Hi Mary,

I made the mistake of the “no pain no gain” attitude, still have a froze shoulder two years later. Per the advice of my recent Orthopedic doctor, “NO PHYSICAL THERAPY while in the painful stage, may prolong the condition.”  

Wish I would’ve known that at the beginning of FS... Went through four months of excruciating PT at the onset of frozen shoulder, be careful...... 

I am being told don’t do anything that causes pain and heat your arm prior to passive exercise.  I do shoulder extensions with bands over the door and by the side. Also six different sets of isometric shoulder flexes.  I do wall walks also but only to the point of pain.  I use arnica, blue ice and bio freeze non stop.  Plus I have my shoulder taped.   I suggest using a microwaveable moist heat pac.  It is a life saver.  

This has come up many times on here, with varying opinions and advice from the "experts".  The "no pain, no gain" attitude seems more prevalent in the US - though even there, opinions seem to be changing.  Some experts in the UK say to avoid physiotherapy at all during the freezing and frozen stage, as it can do more harm than good - then start gentle exercises in the thawing stage to strengthen muscles and  start to regain movement.  My personal experience makes me believe that this gentler approach is the way to go, never excising to the point of pain.

I'm currently recovering from a second frozen shoulder.  First time round, I wasn't diagnosed until my shoulder was badly frozen and very painful.  I was advised by my GP to go for physiotherapy, which didn't help at all and at times, certainly seemed to make things worse.  I changed therapists and was advised  by the new one to go for hydrodilatation, which stopped the pain and I was then able to do some gentle exercise which I did at home.  As my shoulder had been badly frozen, it took some months to gradually regain my ROM.

The second one was diagnosed at a much earlier stage, as I knew what it was and sought help quickly, bypassing my GP and going straight to the consultant I'd seen previously.  I opted to go for hydrodilatation early, as this helped me so much the first time round.  I had that done in June, then had a series of about 8 physio sessions, she did some manipulation and concentrated on showing me gentle stretching exercises, which I continued at home.  I was lucky enough to find a really good physiotherapist who had experienced a frozen shoulder herself, so knew exactly what I was it was like.  At no time did she do anything or suggest exercises that caused pain.  Four months on, I no longer need to see the physio but continue the exercises at home.  I have no loss of ROM or pain - just the occasional twinge if I overdo things and a bit of discomfort on sleeping too long on that side.

It's a horrible and painful condition and my thoughts and best wishes go out to anyone still going though it.  The good new is, there is light at the end of the tunnel and it will get better.

I wanted to share my experience and also hopefully give you all some hope.

I fell in July and my shoulder locked up sometime at the beginning of August.  Of course, no sleep, could not describe the indescribable pain etc.  I honestly thought I had just pulled a muscle and it would heal if I iced it etc. Finally in September I went to see my Chiropractor who has his boards in neurology and usually shows me a MacKenzie Theory exercise and they always work.   We did muscle testing and a bunch of stretches.  He told me to only do the ones that isolated the pain to  my shoulder. (So I was doing the reaching back and using something to push it and then reaching straight over your head using a door frame then trying to stretch.  Again  Those pains just affected my shoulder.  Then I went on a trip and came back and after pulling luggage and feeling so bad I decided to go to the doctor.  So I had X-rays saw my new doctor, had an MRI on my shoulder and was diagnosed.

I honestly did not believe him when he said frozen Shoulder.  How could this much pain in other ares of my hair be frozen shoulder.  The fall i had in July was on my whole arm and I am still a bit skeptical.  Anyway I started the PT.  But unlike my guy, they want you toDo exercises thatHurt your deltoid and that pain is execruiating.  So I had my next appt scheduled for today and was going to demand an MRI of my whole Arm

Then I read your comment and I finally resigned that this it (because honesley I wanted to kill the doctor)

2 weeks ago I was will all my HS gf's on vacation. We rode bikes for a long time, we water aerobics, we body surfed and we kayaked.

Met my PT and she is suprised that I had that much range already (i am telling you its from the Mackenzie stuff).  Anyway. I have a new sleep habit that I want to share.  They say to use a pillow but that hurts me.

Last night, i folded a blanket in 4 so it was about 1 inch think and that is what i layed on on my bed.  Then my bad arm laid right next to the blanket about 1 inch lower and I SLEPT thu the night.

I went to my PT person an she played witth the rotator cuff muscles and pulled them forward so right now I am pain free.  Cannot open my arm to Side or reach of my back.but still will work at it.

Toomorrow - I am having to accupunture so I will let you know.

Sorry about all the typos. Trying to do this from an ipad. Thanks