Frozen Shoulder

Over the past year, frozen shoulder has become something very personal to me. Not only have I treated several clients with the condition, but my own wife has been going through it too.

Her symptoms began last September after completing a two-mile open water swim. It’s important to say that the swim did not cause her frozen shoulder. It just happened to be around the same time that she first noticed shoulder pain. Over the following weeks and months, that pain gradually became worse, her shoulder became stiffer, and she started losing more and more movement and the pain began intense unbearable at times.

Like many people with frozen shoulder, getting the correct diagnosis wasn’t straightforward. She was initially told it was something different, which is understandable because frozen shoulder can be difficult to diagnose in its early stages. Often, the symptoms overlap with other shoulder problems, and sometimes further investigations such as scans are needed to help confirm the diagnosis.

As a teacher, she couldn’t simply stop using her arm. Everyday tasks, work and even sleeping became difficult. Anyone who has had frozen shoulder will know that the night pain can be one of the hardest parts of the condition. Even recently while we were camping, she had to carefully support her shoulder with pillows just to make sleeping a little more comfortable.

One thing we decided early on was that we weren’t going to let the shoulder become completely inactive. That doesn’t mean pushing through pain or forcing movement. Instead, we focused on keeping her moving within a comfortable range, using a simple pain guide of no more than 3 out of 10 during exercises.

Rather than concentrating only on the shoulder itself, we also worked on the surrounding areas. We spent time maintaining movement through her neck, shoulder blade (scapula), and mid-back (thoracic spine), while using gentle mobility exercises and soft tissue therapy to reduce unnecessary muscle tension. The aim wasn’t to “fix” the frozen shoulder overnight—it was to help her keep as much movement as possible while managing the condition.

Despite everything, she has continued going to the gym. She hasn’t been doing her normal training, but she’s adapted what she can do and stayed as active as possible. That has been an important part of her journey.

It may take another year or more to fully recover, but don’t give up.

My wife’s best friend also developed frozen shoulder about a year ago. Her experience has been different. She wasn’t able to continue exercising in the same way and has only recently started getting back into swimming after around twelve months. She received similar advice and exercises, but her recovery has followed its own path.

That’s one of the biggest lessons frozen shoulder teaches us:

There isn’t one exercise programme that works for everyone.

Every shoulder behaves differently. Some people respond well to certain exercises, and treatments while others need a different approach. Some people find cortisone injections helpful, while others, like my wife, notice very little improvement. Recovery isn’t a straight line, and it isn’t a race.

The goal is to keep moving where you can, avoid completely protecting the shoulder, and gradually build confidence in the movements that are comfortable. There will almost certainly be things you can’t do for a while—and that’s okay. Recovery often happens in small steps rather than giant leaps.

Frozen shoulder can take 12 to 36 months to run its course. It’s also more common in people between the ages of 40 and 60, particularly women, and is seen more frequently in people with diabetes. Hormonal changes during the menopause are also thought to increase the risk.

At Ocean Therapy, we understand how frustrating this condition can be because we’ve seen it first-hand. While we can’t make frozen shoulder disappear, we can help support you with hands-on soft tissue therapy, gentle movement, advice, education and a personalised exercise programme that is appropriate for your stage of recovery.

Sometimes, the most important thing isn’t finding the perfect treatment or exercise—it’s having someone guide you through the journey, adapting your programme as your shoulder changes and helping you stay moving safely and confidently.

Book an assessment with Boris at Ocean Therapy 📞 01305 831726