Frozen Shoulder Rehabilitiation Exercises

If you are between 40 and 60 years of age, you are more likely to have frozen shoulder, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. When the shoulder hurts, people tend to favor it. This immobility can worsen the problem. Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a condition with reduced range of motion and stiffness, making it difficult to do everyday movements. It develops gradually and might take a year or two to resolve. The first line of treatment is rehabilitative exercises.

Towel Stretch

• With frozen shoulder, reaching up over your head becomes difficult. At home, you can do a stretch with a towel. Bring the towel behind your back. Your nonaffected arm holds one end of the towel at a 45 degree angle while the other arm holds the opposite end of the towel lower toward the waist. Pull the towel gently away with the affected arm.

  A more challenging version is to drape the towel over the nonaffected shoulder. Hold one end of the towel with the hand on the nonaffected side. Take the other arm behind your back and grab the opposite end of the towel. Now point the elbow on the nonaffected side up toward the ceiling. At the same time, hold the other end of the towel firmly behind your back. Inch your fingers along the towel toward each other for more of a stretch.

Arm Circles

• There are several versions of an arm circle exercise. The easiest is to lie on the unaffected side of the body. With the affected arm, touch your hand to your shoulder. Do slow circular motions with the elbow clockwise and counterclockwise. To advance from this version, perform the exercise while seated. Eventually, you can stand up and bring your arm straight out in front of you. Then circle the arm clockwise and counterclockwise for 20 to 30 seconds.

Pendulums

• Hold one end of a dumbbell (5 to 8 pounds) or a gallon jug filled with water or sand. Let your arm hang loosely by your side. Now, as if your arm is a pendulum, let the weight circle in small motions. Do not force the movement but create momentum. Keep the circle fewer than 12 inches in diameter, advises Joanne Terrans from Energy Massage Therapies.

Wall Crawl

• You want to encourage overhead reaching to "unfreeze" the shoulder. Stand with the affected side next to a wall. Bend the elbow on the affected side. Slowly walk the fingers up the wall so that the arm rises overhead. Try to perform the exercise in a pain-free range.

Ball Squeeze

• Take a small inflatable ball that is not overfilled with air so you are able to squeeze it pretty easily. Place the ball under your affected arm between your armpit and side. Now using your shoulder strength, try to squeeze the ball and change its shape. Contract and relax 10 to 15 times.