Easing Into Movement: Exercises for Frozen Shoulder Recovery

Living with a frozen shoulder is like navigating through life with invisible chains, restricting your every movement and overshadowing your daily joys.

We understand the frustration and despair that come with this condition, and we’re here to offer a beacon of hope through our expertise and personalized care.

Understanding Frozen Shoulder: What You Need to Know

Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a debilitating condition characterized by stiffness and pain in the shoulder joint.

It restricts both active and passive range of motion, making simple tasks like reaching overhead or behind the back challenging and painful.

In this blog, our goal is to provide you with practical exercises designed to improve your range of motion, reduce pain, and speed up recovery from a frozen shoulder.

These exercises are carefully selected to target specific areas of tightness and stiffness, helping you regain mobility and function in your shoulder joint.

5 Exercises for Frozen Shoulder Relief:

Shoulder Blade Squeeze

Sit or stand with your arms by your sides. Imagine you’re trying to squeeze a pencil between your shoulder blades.

Slowly pull your shoulder blades together, feeling the muscles engage between your shoulder blades.

Hold this position for 5-10 seconds, focusing on the sensation of tension in your upper back.

Then, relax and repeat the movement 10-15 times, aiming for a smooth, controlled motion with each repetition.

External Rotation Stretch

Stand next to a doorway or wall, with your affected arm closest to the wall. Bend your elbow to 90 degrees and place your forearm against the wall.

Gently lean forward, allowing your body to rotate away from the wall until you feel a stretch in the front of your shoulder.

Hold this position for 15-30 seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat the stretch 2-3 times, gradually increasing the intensity of the stretch with each repetition.

Cross-Body Stretch with Towel

Hold a towel in your affected hand and drape it over your shoulder. Use your unaffected hand to hold the other end of the towel behind your back.

Gently pull the affected arm across your body with the towel until you feel a stretch in the back of your shoulder.

Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, then release and repeat on the other side. Aim to perform 2-3 repetitions on each side, gradually increasing the stretch as tolerated.

Arm Circles

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms relaxed by your sides. Slowly raise your affected arm out to the side and begin to make small circles in a clockwise direction.

As you circle your arm, focus on maintaining smooth, controlled movements and engaging your shoulder muscles.

After 10-15 circles, switch to a counter clockwise direction and repeat the movement.

Perform 2-3 sets of arm circles on each side, gradually increasing the size of the circles and range of motion with each set.

Ball Squeeze

Hold a small soft ball or rolled-up towel in your affected hand. Squeeze the ball tightly between your palm and fingers, focusing on contracting the muscles in your hand and forearm.

Hold the squeeze for 5-10 seconds, then release and relax. Repeat the squeeze 10-15 times, aiming for a strong contraction with each repetition.

This exercise helps to strengthen the muscles in your hand and forearm, which can indirectly support the muscles around your shoulder joint.

Take the First Step Toward Relief

Ready to start your journey towards relief from a frozen shoulder?

Schedule a free telephone consultation with us today to discuss your condition and learn how our expert team can help.

Talk to a shoulder pain expert who treats patients with frozen shoulders every day and receive personalized tips and guidance tailored to your needs.

Don’t let your frozen shoulder hold you back any longer. Call us at 408-358-1460 or click HERE to request a free callback.

Together, let’s break free from the chains of frozen shoulders and embark on a journey toward a life defined by movement, not pain.

For more information on natural treatments for shoulder pain, you can download our free advice report where I’ve put together lots of useful information.

If you prefer, you can also book a free telephone consultation with our expert team to discuss how we can help you recover fast and naturally without painkillers, injections, or surgery.

Another option is to come and see us at the clinic for a free discovery visit where we can show you around the place and discuss our treatments to see if we are the right fit for you.