Also known as adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder is a relatively common cause of shoulder pain. Frozen shoulder is more likely to affect women rather than men and is also more likely to occur in the non-dominant arm. You are also most likely to develop frozen shoulder between the ages of forty and sixty. Often there is no cause for the onset of this condition; however, occasionally an injury to the shoulder may precede the onset. Progression is seen in three stages: Freezing, Frozen and Thawing. During the freezing stage the shoulder can be very painful and there is a gradual loss of movement. In the frozen stage the main symptom is restricted movement, with stiffness dominating pain. The thawing stage sees the gradual return of shoulder movement with decreasing stiffness.
