BEST Exercises for Frozen Shoulder | Adhesive Capsulitis (Mobility, Stretches, Strength)

Summary by Krater

A physical therapist explains the causes, diagnosis, clinical course, and treatment options for frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), detailing exercise guidelines based on irritability levels and reviewing relevant clinical studies.

From the video

Answers: What is frozen shoulder, how is it diagnosed, and what are the best treatment and exercise options?

• Frozen shoulder definition and types
• Adhesive capsulitis diagnosis
• Clinical course and natural history
• Irritability levels in frozen shoulder
• Exercise guidelines for high, moderate, and low irritability
• Shoulder mobility and strength exercises
• Load management and lifestyle factors
• Systematic reviews on frozen shoulder treatments

Exercises

• Supine external rotation (dowel) · dowel · 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Supine flexion (dowel) · dowel · 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Thoracic extension foam roller (arms crossed) · foam roller · 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Half kneeling thoracic rotation (arms crossed) · block · 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Shoulder external rotation isometric · doorframe · 1-3 sets of 20-40 sec
• Shoulder internal rotation isometric · doorframe · 1-3 sets of 20-40 sec
• Shoulder abduction isometric · wall · 1-3 sets of 20-40 sec
• Active supine external rotation · towel · 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Supine flexion (weighed dowel) · dowel and plate weight · 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Thoracic extension foam roller (hands behind head) · foam roller · 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Half kneeling thoracic rotation (arms straight) · block · 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Banded internal rotation · resistance band · 2-4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Banded external rotation · resistance band · 2-4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Banded lateral raise (90°) · resistance band · 2-4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Banded scaption · resistance band · 2-4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Banded abduction (<90°) · resistance band · 2-4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Weighted supine external rotation · plate weight · 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Supine single arm weighted pull over · plate weight · 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Half kneeling windmill · block · 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Banded lateral raise (120°) · resistance band · 2-4 sets of 10-15 reps

What it concludes

• Frozen shoulder may not be solely structural and includes an inflammatory component with capsular thickening and restriction in adjacent tissues.
• Frozen shoulder presents with passive external rotation loss greater than 50% of the uninvolved shoulder or less than 30 degrees, plus a greater than 25% deficit in two other planes.
• No evidence supports the theory that frozen shoulder progresses through recovery phases to full resolution without treatment.
• Expectations of eventual thawing without treatment may lead patients to delay or forego treatment, and symptoms can persist for 2 to 7 or more years.
• Exercises should be chosen based on irritability levels: high, moderate, or low irritability.
• Intra-articular corticosteroid injections are helpful in the short term for pain management, but show no long-term differences compared to control groups.