Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)

Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, causes progressive pain and loss of both active and passive shoulder motion.

Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, causes progressive pain and loss of both active and passive shoulder motion. The joint capsule thickens and tightens, often making external rotation, reaching overhead, and reaching behind the back especially difficult.

The condition commonly affects adults between 40 and 60 and is more frequent in patients with diabetes or thyroid disease. It can arise without a clear cause or after injury, surgery, or prolonged immobilization.

Most patients improve without surgery, but recovery can take many months and is not identical for everyone. Treatment is matched to the stage and irritability of the shoulder. It may include pain control, corticosteroid injection, appropriately dosed stretching and therapy, a home-motion program, and selected hydrodilation. Manipulation under anesthesia or arthroscopic capsular release may be considered when substantial stiffness and disability persist despite a well-executed nonsurgical program.

This information is educational and is not a substitute for an individualized medical evaluation. Written and medically reviewed by Michael L. Knudsen, MD | Last reviewed: July 2026