Frozen Shoulder Treatment at Elite Joint Solutions

Daniel Taylor
May 14
2 min read

Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a condition that causes pain, stiffness, and a significant loss of movement in the shoulder joint. It is thought to occur due to the migration of specialised cells called tenocytes into the shoulder joint capsule. Although we do not fully understand why this happens, frozen shoulder is known to be more common in people living with diabetes.

As these tenocytes build up within the capsule, the tissue becomes tight, thickened, and inflexible. This tightening restricts movement and can lead to severe pain, even during small everyday activities such as reaching, dressing, or lifting the arm.

A frozen shoulder can sometimes take up to 12 months — and occasionally longer — to fully recover. However, early diagnosis and treatment can significantly reduce both pain levels and recovery time.

Why Does Frozen Shoulder Hurt So Much?

The shoulder capsule becomes inflamed, tight, and irritated. As the condition progresses, the capsule loses its normal flexibility, making movement extremely painful and restricted.

Patients commonly report:

Difficulty reaching overhead
Pain when putting on clothing
Pain lying on the affected side
Sharp pain with sudden movements
Stiffness when trying to rotate the arm

Many patients also notice their sleep becomes significantly disturbed because of the pain.

Exercises and Rehabilitation

One of the most important aspects of treatment is beginning gentle stretching exercises as early as possible. These exercises help to gradually loosen the shoulder capsule and restore movement.

Initially, progress can feel slow and uncomfortable because the exercises gently push the shoulder towards its movement limits. However, consistency is key, and sticking with your rehabilitation programme is essential for long-term improvement.

You can view some useful frozen shoulder exercises on our YouTube channel here:

Frozen Shoulder Exercises Video

Injection Therapy for Frozen Shoulder

When pain becomes difficult to manage, one of the main treatment options we offer at Elite Joint Solutions is ultrasound-guided injection therapy.

We inject a carefully selected combination of steroid and local anaesthetic directly into the shoulder joint. This treatment provides three key benefits:

1. Reduce Inflammation

The steroid medication acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory, helping to calm inflammation within the shoulder capsule and reduce pain.

2. Immediate Pain Relief

The local anaesthetic helps settle irritated nerves and can provide faster short-term pain relief.

3. Improve Movement

We use a larger volume injection to gently stretch the tight capsule and help break down painful tissue adhesions, often improving both movement and comfort.

In many cases, a single injection is enough to significantly reduce pain and allow patients to continue their exercises more comfortably while the shoulder heals. Occasionally, a second injection may be required for optimal relief.