Will Shoulder Stretches Help a Frozen Shoulder?

If your shoulder is stiff and painful most of the time, you may have a condition called adhesive capsulitis. Adhesive capsulitis is what most people call a "frozen shoulder". This painful and sometimes debilitating condition affects up to 2-5% of Americans, most of them over the age of 40. It's a frustrating problem to treat, and even with treatment the symptoms can stick around for months to years. One treatment that's sometimes recommended for adhesive capsulitis are shoulder stretches. Can shoulder stretches help to "loosen up" a frozen shoulder?

The Pain of a Frozen Shoulder: Do Shoulder Stretches Help

A frozen shoulder is not only painful, but the affected shoulder becomes stiff and difficult to move, which makes it hard to do simple tasks - or even sleep at night. People who have a frozen shoulder usually have a hard time reaching behind their back. This makes a task as simple as pulling a wallet out of their back pocket excruciatingly painful. They may not even be able to raise their arms above their head without considerable pain. People with this problem usually walk with their arms close to their sides without swinging them.

People who have certain conditions such as diabetes, connective tissue disorders and lung or heart problems are more likely to have adhesive capsulitis - as are people who have had their arm and shoulder immobilized in a sling or cast.

A frozen shoulder happens when the capsule of connective tissue that surrounds the shoulder socket becomes inflamed and thickened. This thickening and the formation of scar tissue reduces the normal motion of the shoulder, leading to stiffness and pain. Shoulder stretches can help to break up some of this scar tissue and reduce the stiffness.

Shoulder Stretches for Adhesive Capsulitis

According to an article published on Medscape.com, stretching the shoulder in multiple planes helps to increase mobility of a frozen shoulder and reduce the pain. Shoulder stretches are easy to do at home, but it's best to consult a physical therapist for a few sessions to learn the best way to stretch a frozen shoulder. A physical therapist can also do treatments to stretch the joint capsule, which helps to reduce the stiffness and pain. Before doing shoulder stretches, put moist heat on the shoulder to relax the muscles.

People who are having severe pain may benefit from a series of steroid injections into the shoulder to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. This makes it easier to do shoulder stretches, but talk to your doctor about the potential risks of doing this. It's not for everyone.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications also reduce the pain and inflammation, but taking these medications long-term can have serious side effects include bleeding from the digestive tract and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Try using natural inflammation-reducers such as turmeric, ginger root, tart cherry extract and omega-3s instead.

Doing shoulder stretches for a frozen shoulder may prevent the need to undergo surgery to manipulate the shoulder or physically cut out the scar tissue that keeps a frozen shoulder from moving fluidly. Some small studies suggest that acupuncture may be effective for adhesive capsulitis, but there's not enough evidence to recommend it at this point.

Shoulder Stretches for a Frozen Shoulder: The Bottom Line?

Shoulder stretches can reduce the pain and stiffness of a frozen shoulder, but it's best to see a physical therapist to learn the proper techniques before doing them. The good news? Adhesive capsulitis causes no permanent damage, and it eventually goes away.

References:

Medscape.com. "Adhesive Capsulitis and Dynamic Splinting"

American Family Physician. 59(7): 1843-52.