Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, can be a frustrating and painful condition, especially for women over 40 who are trying to stay active. The shoulder becomes stiff and difficult to move, making simple tasks like brushing your hair or putting on a seatbelt feel impossible.
If you’re struggling with frozen shoulder, you’re not alone—it’s especially common for women during menopause due to hormonal changes.
At Fit Over 40, we understand the frustration of dealing with injuries like frozen shoulder, and the good news is that with the right exercises, you can find relief and regain movement.
In this blog post, we’ll share five frozen shoulder exercises that can help you get quick relief while also explaining what frozen shoulder is, the stages it goes through, and how long recovery takes.
What is Frozen Shoulder?
Frozen shoulder happens when the tissue around the shoulder joint becomes inflamed and tightens, causing stiffness and pain. The clinical name for this condition is adhesive capsulitis, which means “sticky joint,” and that’s a good way to think about it.
Your shoulder isn’t literally frozen—it’s sticky and stuck, which can make daily activities difficult and lead to decreased mobility over time.
For many women going through menopause, frozen shoulder can become a common issue. Hormonal changes, especially a drop in estrogen levels, may contribute to joint pain and stiffness.
In fact, studies show that postmenopausal women are more likely to experience shoulder issues, including frozen shoulder, than younger women.
The 4 Stages of Frozen Shoulder
Frozen shoulder usually develops in four stages:
- The Freezing Stage: You start to feel pain in your shoulder, especially during movement. This stage can last anywhere from 6 weeks to 9 months. As the pain worsens, your range of motion starts to decrease.
- The Frozen Stage: Your shoulder becomes stiff, and moving it becomes very difficult. The pain may lessen, but your mobility is severely restricted. This stage typically lasts 4-6 months.
- The Thawing Stage: During this phase, you begin to regain movement in your shoulder. This can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years.
- Recovery: Full recovery can take anywhere from 1 to 3.5 years, with the average time being about 2.5 years. However, it’s important to remember that movement and exercise can help speed up the process.
5 Best Exercises for Frozen Shoulder
Here are 5 frozen shoulder exercises for quick relief that can help improve mobility. Start slow, and always check with a physiotherapist before beginning any exercise routine to ensure it’s suitable for your condition.
1. Pendulum Swings
Pendulum swings are a great way to gently mobilize the shoulder without putting too much strain on it.
How to do it:
- Stand next to a table or chair for support.
- Lean forward, allowing your arm to hang down naturally.
- Gently swing your arm in small circles, both clockwise and counterclockwise.
- Do this for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, 2-3 times a day.
This simple movement encourages blood flow to the shoulder and helps loosen up the joint.
2. External Rotation with a Towel
Frozen shoulder often affects your ability to externally rotate your arm. This exercise helps you work on that range of motion.
How to do it:
- Take a small towel and hold one end in your affected hand behind your back.
- Use your other hand to grab the top end of the towel, gently pulling it upwards, which will rotate your lower hand outward.
- Hold for 10-15 seconds, then release.
- Repeat 5-10 times, 2-3 times a day.
This exercise gradually improves external rotation and helps with tasks like reaching behind your back.
3. Finger Walk
The finger walk helps you regain overhead mobility, which is often restricted by frozen shoulder.
How to do it:
- Stand in front of a wall.
- Place your fingers on the wall at waist height and “walk” them up the wall as far as you can comfortably reach.
- Hold for a few seconds, then walk your fingers back down.
- Repeat 5-10 times, 2-3 times a day.
This gentle stretch helps improve your shoulder’s range of motion over time.
4. Cross-Body Stretch
This stretch helps relieve tension in the shoulder and improves flexibility.
How to do it:
- Stand or sit tall.
- Use your unaffected arm to pull your affected arm across your body, just below shoulder height.
- Hold for 15-30 seconds, feeling a stretch across the back of your shoulder.
- Repeat 3-5 times, 2-3 times a day.
This exercise stretches tight muscles around the shoulder joint and helps improve flexibility.
5. Passive External Rotation
This is another effective external rotation exercise that can help restore movement in the shoulder.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with a small towel roll under your elbow.
- Hold a light dumbbell or a small object in the affected hand, with your elbow bent at 90 degrees.
- Slowly rotate your arm outward (external rotation), keeping your elbow in place.
- Hold for a few seconds, then return to the starting position.
- Repeat 5-10 times, 2-3 times a day.
This exercise helps build strength and increase mobility in the shoulder joint.
Other Helpful Tips for Frozen Shoulder Recovery
Consult a Physio: If you’re not making progress, consult a physiotherapist who can tailor exercises to your specific condition.
Stay Active: Avoid complete immobilization. Modify your workouts, but keep moving. Low-impact cardio, yoga, and gentle stretching can help maintain fitness while dealing with frozen shoulder.
Consider HRT: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) may reduce inflammation and improve recovery rates. A study by Duke University found that women between the ages of 45-60 who were on HRT had a 99% greater chance of recovery compared to those who weren’t. However, it’s important to remember that HRT isn’t a cure for frozen shoulder – you’ll still need to work on mobility exercises and stay active.
How to Manage Shoulder Pain and Stay Active
When you’re dealing with frozen shoulder, it can be tempting to stop working out altogether. But staying active is one of the best things you can do to help your recovery.
Where-as the the go-to advice used to be RICE (Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate). It’s now replaced by POLICE (Protect, Optimal Loading, Ice, Compress, Elevate).
Regularly moving and strengthening the joint, regaining your range of motion, is essential for recovery.While it may be tempting to stop and rest, staying active under safe conditions will promote faster healing.
At Trinity Transformation, we help women over 40 adapt their workouts so they can stay on track, even when dealing with injuries like frozen shoulder. We incorporate Low Impact Strength Training (LIST), which allows you to keep moving without putting too much stress on your joints.
It’s also important to seek guidance from a physiotherapist or medical professional who can tailor exercises to your specific needs.
Don’t try to push through the pain – instead, work within your limits and focus on gentle, consistent movement.
Take the Next Step in Your Recovery
Frozen shoulder can be a long and painful process, but with the right exercises and support, you can recover and regain full mobility. Whether you’re looking for guidance on how to manage shoulder pain or need help staying active while dealing with other menopause-related changes, we’re here to help.
At Trinity Transformation, we specialise in helping women over 40 achieve their fitness goals, even when facing challenges like frozen shoulder. Our Fit Over 40 programme is designed to help you drop 1-2 dress sizes in 12 weeks, feel stronger, and regain your confidence.
Take the next step by:
- Downloading our free guide: Click here
- Signing up for our free training: Click here
- Learning more about our Fit Over 40 Programme: Click here