Frozen Shoulder: Symptoms

The symptoms of frozen shoulder often reveal themselves in three distinct phases.

1) Painful phase (which can last from 2 to 9 months)

The pain often starts gradually and builds up. It may be felt on the outside of your upper arm and can extend down to the elbow and even into your forearm.

It can be present at rest and is worse on movements of the arm. Sleep is often affected, as lying on it can be painful or even impossible. During this time movements of the shoulder often begin to be reduced.

2) Stiff phase (which can last from 4 to 12 months)

The ball and socket joint becomes increasingly stiff, particularly on twisting movements such as trying to put your hand behind your back or head. These movements remain tight even when you try to move the shoulder with your other hand or someone tries to move the shoulder for you. It is the ball and socket joint that is stiff. The shoulder blade is still free to move around the chest wall, and you may become more aware of this movement.

3) Recovery phase (which can last from 5 to 26 months)

The pain and stiffness starts to resolve during this phase, and you can begin to use your arm in a more normal way. The total duration of the process is from 12 to 42 months, although the average period is 18-24 months.

The good news is that although the pain and stiffness you experience may be extremely severe, the problem can usually resolve itself. The vast majority of people who have suffered with frozen shoulder find that their symptoms clear up and only a minority report any interference with everyday activities.