Frozen shoulder doesn’t just hurt—it can sideline your daily life for months, even years. In fact, women between 40 and 60 are up to three times more likely to develop this debilitating condition than men. Whether it’s triggered by surgery, an injury or simply too much time spent sitting still, frozen shoulder can leave you battling stiffness, pain and frustration.
However, according to renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vonda Wright, it doesn’t have to be that way. With a few smart strategies, you can protect your shoulders and dodge the long road to recovery. Here are her top three tips to keep you moving, pain-free.
“I bet almost everybody you know has had frozen shoulder,” Wright tells Flow Space during an exclusive interview. “It’s one of the passages of midlife.”
What is frozen shoulder?
Wright explains that as estrogen levels fluctuate during perimenopause and eventually decline entirely, they leave behind a surge of inflammation in their wake.
“For reasons we don’t understand, the shoulder and the capsule, which is the inside part of the shoulder, are highly sensitive to that inflammation,” Wright says.
Wright says that this pain can occur out of nowhere and can eventually lead to someone being unable to perform daily tasks, such as lifting their shoulder to hook and unhook their bra.
Techniques if you have frozen shoulder
Although frozen shoulder is difficult to prevent, the moment your shoulder begins to hurt or feel stiff, Wright says there are simple exercises you can perform.
“One of the first motions that disappears is called internal rotation, where you can’t put your arm behind your back anymore,” Wright explains. “To prevent that, take a band or a towel, hold the back and just pull your arm up.”
Wright emphasizes the importance of patience if your shoulder is stiff and won’t fully rotate back.
“Give it some grace,” she advises, suggesting that you adjust the towel to accommodate your range of motion.
For the second exercise, called external rotation, Wright she recommends raising your arm halfway and gently moving it back and forth to encourage mobility.
“All we’re doing is keeping your shoulder joint fluid,” Wright says. “Seems simple, but this goes a long way.”
For the third exercise, Wright advises using a sturdy closet rod or pull-up bar to stretch your shoulder and maintain mobility. If you have a bar at home, she suggests reaching up, gripping the bar and gently hanging to stretch the shoulder joint.
“This is going to stretch the entire back of your shoulder, and it actually feels really good,” Wright says.
If your arm is too stiff to perform this exercise, Wright recommends using a wall for support. Gently “climb” your arm up the wall as far as you can, then hold the position to stretch the shoulder.
Techniques to prevent frozen shoulder
First and foremost, Wright says to begin with a fitness band or a very light weight.
“The first exercise is for the most important part of your shoulder, which is the part that raises our arm above our heads,” Wright says. “So take your band, put it under your foot [and] raise it in line with your shoulder blade.”
If it’s too heavy, Wright says, all you have to do is release some of the band from your foot, which will allow you to lift with more ease.
“You do this 10 times, two sets,” Wright says. “This is called forward flexion.”
The next exercise Wright suggests for maintaining healthy shoulders is another external rotation exercise done differently. To perform this, hold the band in one hand with your elbow tucked against your side and stabilize the band with your opposite hand.
“Pull against ourselves,” Wright suggests. “This is going to strengthen the entire backside of your shoulder.”
For the third and final exercise, Wright recommends focusing on strengthening your internal rotation. Hold the band in one hand with your elbow tucked close to your side, engage your core and slowly bring your arm across your body in a controlled, internal rotation.
“Do not let your elbow come out, that’s cheating,” Wright says. “This will strengthen the entire front part of your shoulder.”