10 Raw Ice-Cold Frosty Facts about Frozen Shoulder

• Also known as “adhesive capsulitis,” frozen shoulder is a condition that causes notable pain and stiffness in the shoulder due to a shrinking abnormality / inflammatory process of the capsule that surrounds the joint.
• Aggressive intervention has been found to be detrimental. The most appropriate treatment for most cases of adhesive capsulitis is physical therapy with emphasis on appropriate gentle stretching and joint mobilizations.
• Frozen shoulder can occur following an injury, a surgery, or a time frame of immobilization, but often occurs without incident.
• The most common age range for frozen shoulder is from 40-60 years old.
• Science cannot explain exactly why individuals experience frozen shoulder, so it’s considered somewhat of a medical mystery.
• Unlike many other shoulder conditions (eg. rotator cuff tears, labrum tears), surgical intervention is not a likely treatment consideration. In fact, most cases of frozen shoulders will run their course, though the time frame to return to “normal” can take several months for mild cases and a few years for severe cases.
• Frozen shoulders usually go through three phases:  1) a freezing stage in which symptoms progressively worsen  2) a frozen stage where symptoms show little change  3) a thawing stage in which symptoms resolve.
• Individuals with diabetes are up to twice as likely to experience frozen shoulder.
• Women are more likely than men to become afflicted.
• Typical frozen shoulder restricts in a particular pattern and can usually be diagnosed by your doctor or a physical therapist.