Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)
Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a common condition that causes shoulder pain and progressive stiffness. It can make everyday activities such as dressing, reaching overhead or fastening a seatbelt increasingly difficult.
At Momentum Joint Care, we provide doctor-led assessment and ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injections for suitable patients with frozen shoulder.
What is Frozen Shoulder?
Frozen shoulder occurs when the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, thickened and tight.
Over time, this leads to increasing pain and restriction of movement.
The condition often develops gradually and may take many months to resolve.
Frozen shoulder is more common in:
People aged 40 to 65
People with diabetes
Patients recovering from shoulder injury or surgery
Women more than men
Common Symptoms
Frozen shoulder typically causes:
Gradually worsening shoulder pain
Pain affecting sleep, particularly when lying on the affected side
Difficulty reaching overhead
Difficulty reaching behind the back
Difficulty dressing or fastening clothing
Progressive loss of shoulder movement
Stiffness in multiple directions of movement
Many patients notice that both pain and stiffness become progressively worse over several months.
Frozen shoulder typically progresses through three stages:
Freezing Phase
The shoulder becomes increasingly painful and movement gradually reduces.
This is often the most painful stage and may last several months.
Frozen Phase
Pain often begins to settle, but stiffness becomes the main problem.
Activities such as dressing, washing hair or reaching overhead may remain difficult.
Thawing Phase
Movement gradually improves and symptoms slowly resolve.
Recovery can take many months and occasionally longer.
Treatment depends partly on the stage of the condition.
Options may include:
Activity modification
Pain relief medication where appropriate
Physiotherapy and stretching exercises
Corticosteroid injection
Ongoing rehabilitation as pain improves
Corticosteroid injections are one of the most commonly used treatments for frozen shoulder, particularly during the early painful phase.
The aim is to reduce inflammation within the joint capsule, helping to reduce pain and improve movement.
A corticosteroid injection may be appropriate when:
Pain is affecting sleep
Symptoms are significantly limiting daily activities
The shoulder is in the early painful phase
Pain is preventing rehabilitation exercises
Many patients experience improvement in pain before improvements in movement.
Reducing pain can often make physiotherapy and home exercises easier to perform.
Corticosteroid injection is usually the main injection treatment offered for frozen shoulder, particularly during the early painful phase.
Hyaluronic acid or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may occasionally be considered in selected patients, particularly where a non-steroid option is preferred or steroid injection is not suitable.
These treatments are not usually first-line for frozen shoulder, and the most appropriate option depends on the stage of the condition, symptom severity, previous treatment and individual goals.
You may benefit from assessment if:
Shoulder pain is affecting sleep
You are progressively losing movement
Symptoms have persisted for several weeks
Everyday activities are becoming difficult
Pain is not improving with simple measures
It is important to note that not all painful shoulders are caused by frozen shoulder. Conditions such as shoulder arthritis, bursitis, rotator cuff tendinopathy and biceps tendinopathy can cause similar symptoms.
If shoulder pain and stiffness are affecting your daily activities, work or sleep, we can help.
Following assessment, we will discuss whether corticosteroid injection, physiotherapy or another approach is most appropriate for your symptoms.