Frozen Shoulder
Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a common cause of a painful, progressively stiff shoulder. The capsule around the joint thickens and tightens, making everyday movements like reaching, dressing and sleeping difficult. With the right treatment, it can be managed well at every stage.
Understanding frozen shoulder: causes and treatment
Frozen shoulder develops when the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, thickened and tight. It often has no single clear cause, but several factors make it more likely.
Frozen shoulder typically passes through a painful freezing stage, a stiff frozen stage and a gradual thawing stage. Treatment is matched to the stage you are in — getting assessed early means the right approach from the start and faster, more comfortable progress.
A correct diagnosis is essential to focus treatment on what is actually driving your symptoms.
Common causes and risk factors for frozen shoulder include:
Get it assessed early
Seek help early
Getting assessed early means treatment is matched to your stage, pain is managed sooner, and you keep as much movement as possible rather than losing it while you wait.
It moves through stages
Frozen shoulder has painful, stiff and recovery stages, each needing a different approach. A thorough assessment confirms the diagnosis and rules out other shoulder problems. See also our shoulder pain page.
Physiotherapy assessment for frozen shoulder
Your initial physiotherapy appointment will consist of two key components:
Subjective assessment
A detailed discussion about how your symptoms started, what you feel, how they affect your daily activities, work and sleep, and any relevant medical history. We will also explore your personal treatment goals.
Objective assessment
A physical examination of your shoulder movement — particularly the loss of outward (external) rotation that is typical of frozen shoulder — along with strength testing and special tests to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other causes.
At The Treatment Table, every assessment is thorough, giving you a clear diagnosis and an effective treatment plan.
Treatment tailored to you
Your treatment will depend on the cause and stage of your frozen shoulder but may include:
Pain management and education
Joint mobilisation
Stretching and range-of-movement exercises
Progressive strengthening
Soft tissue therapy
Acupuncture
Injection assessment where appropriate
Activity modification and graded return
At The Treatment Table, we understand that frozen shoulder can affect sleep, dressing and work for months. Our stage-matched treatment aims to reduce pain, restore movement and shorten recovery — and where a guided injection is likely to help, we can assess and arrange it.
Book your frozen shoulder assessment
If your shoulder is painful and getting stiffer, a specialist physiotherapy assessment can confirm whether it is a frozen shoulder and start the right treatment.
Frozen shoulder is a painful, progressively stiff shoulder caused by tightening of the joint capsule. It moves through stages and responds well to stage-matched physiotherapy, with injection assessment available where helpful.
For more information or to book an appointment, contact The Treatment Table on 0151 559 1107 or email info@thetreatmenttable.com.
Book your assessment