Three Stages of Frozen Shoulder

Frozen shoulder:

 The bones, ligaments, and tendons that make up your shoulder joint placed with in a capsule  of connective tissue. Frozen shoulder takes place when this capsule thickens and tightens around the shoulder joint, restricting movement.

What is Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder is also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition characterized by stiffness and ache in your shoulder joint. Signs  and symptoms usually begin gradually, worsen through the years after which resolve usually within one or three years.

Three Stages of Frozen Shoulder

1)Freezing level

2)Frozen shoulder

3)Thawing

1. Freezing stage: (6 weeks to six months)

As the name suggests, the shoulder capsule begins thickening/freezing. As the capsule begins thickening, movements of the shoulder get extremely painful and tough.

During this stage, the motion of the shoulder isn’t restricted  and  the affected person senses no longer being able to make a complete ROM of the shoulder. That 's why the frozen shoulder often  being misdiagnosed as a problem with the rotator cuff.

2. Frozen Stage(four months to six months):

The 2nd phase of the frozen shoulder is known as The Frozen Phase. The patient for the duration of this phase shall experience the shoulder being stiff. It is for the duration of this level that a definitive diagnosis can be made, differentiating frozen shoulder from rotator cuff syndrome. In rotator cuff syndrome, a affected person has trouble moving his/her arm, however someone a doctor or an examiner can manipuate  the arm and move  it. Whereas in a frozen shoulder, neither the patient nor the physician/examiner can move the shoulder joint.

Pain at some point of this stage is not as excruciating as in the earlier phase, but pain can also come out  from performing  easy activities. Since the rotation of the shoulder joint is limited , performing everyday activities such as washing hair, washing clothes ,reaching  for a seat belt, and so forth.

Three. Thawing (6 months to 2 years):

During this stage  of the frozen shoulder, the capsule of the shoulder joint appears thick and inflexible, however through the years, it regularly loosens.

Thawing phase is a comfortable phase , from a affected person’s standpoint.During  this phase, the pain begins disappear and the motion of the shoulder joint starts  enhancing, giving hope for the patient.

Finally, the shoulder thaws, the range of motion starts to enhance but a few pain remains and the frozen shoulder will become completely normal.