Stages of Frozen Shoulder

• Frozen Shoulder:

  • 3 distinct, but overlapping, stages - not always linear and can move from one stage to another
• Frozen Shoulder:

  • stage 1 (freezing):
  • acute/freezing/painful stage
  • rapid reduction in movement, particularly in abduction and external rotation
  • gradual onset of shoulder pain at rest with sharp pain at extremes of motion, and pain at night with sleep interruption, which may last anywhere from 2 to 9 months
• Frozen Shoulder:

  • stage 2 (frozen):
  • adhesive/frozen/stiffening phase
  • pain starts to subside, progressive loss of glenohumeral motion in capsular pattern
  • pain is apparent only at extremes of movement
  • this phase may occur at around 4 months and last till about 12 months
• Frozen Shoulder:

  • stage 3 (thawing):
  • resolution/thawing phase
  • pain gradually reduces and range starts to increase
  • spontaneous, progressive improvement in functional range of motion, which can last anywhere from 5 to 24 months, even up to 4 to 5 years