Frozen Shoulder Home Exercises

"Frozen shoulder" describes pain and loss of motion in the shoulder. The pain is usually dull or aching. Stiffness makes it difficult to move the shoulder normally, including reaching overhead and behind you. The cause is not fully known, but involves the capsule around the shoulder joint thickening and contracting, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Frozen shoulder often affects diabetics. The condition can be controlled, but recovery can take several months. Stretching and strengthening are recommended treatments, says Dr. Bruce C. Anderson, clinical associate professor of medicine at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland.

Frozen Shoulder Stretching

• Before stretching, prepare your muscles by applying heat. Take a warm shower or bath. Be cautious when beginning to do stretching exercises. Exercises to help increase your range of motion should be done early on in your recovery, but be careful not to worsen the condition. If you feel any sharp pain while stretching, stop immediately and call your doctor.

  The weighted pendulum stretch: While standing or sitting, relax your shoulder, and keep your arm vertical. Hold it close to your body. Hang your shoulder downward, balancing with your other hand on a table or chair. Swing your arm back and forth and side to side. Make small circles. Do this once or twice a day after heating for three to seven days. Then, do the exercise by adding a small amount of weight (1 or 2 pounds) each week. Slowly increase the range of the movements--increase the diameter of the movements up to 2 feet. Minimal pain should be felt while doing the pendulum stretch. You can do the exercise immediately after an injury or after receiving a steroid injection in the joint.

  Passive stretches: Do these after the pendulum exercise. They will help loosen the shoulder and restore your range of motion. Do 10 to 20 sets once or twice a day for several months.
  Arm pitch stretch: Use your unaffected arm to lift your affected onto an object that is chest high, such as a dresser. Bend your knees, and open the arm pit. Push the affected arm farther with each set.
  Finger walk: Face a wall, with your arm bent. Use your fingers to walk up the wall, raising your arm up to shoulder level.
  Towel stretch: Use a 3-foot towel; hold it with both hands behind your back. Hold it at a 45-degree angle. Use the upper, unaffected arm to pull your arm toward your lower back.

Frozen Shoulder Strengthening

• Strengthening exercises should be done after range of motion exercises. Rest for a couple of minutes, and then do 10 to 15 sets of each exercise once a day. Hold each position for five seconds. A flexible rubber tube or large rubber band should be used. You may feel slight soreness from the exercises. If you feel severe pain, stop the exercises for a few days.

  Outward rotation exercise: Hold your elbows close to your sides at 90 degrees. Hold the rubber band horizontally in your hands. Rotate your forearm on your affected side outward, and hold for five seconds.
  Inward rotation exercise: Hold your elbow at 90 degrees, close to your side. Hook the rubber band on a door handle. Grasp the rubber band with one hand. Rotate your affected forearm towards the body and hold.
  Abduction exercise: Bend your elbows to 90 degrees. Place the rubber band around your arms near your elbows. Lift your arms about 5 inches away from the body and hold the position.

Other Home Remedies

• In addition to careful exercises, you can do other things at home to address your frozen shoulder. Limit your activity. Avoid any overhead reaching and lifting. Take pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (ibuprofen). These can be used for temporary relief. Ice the shoulder joint with a wrapped ice pack. Ice it every 15 minutes every four hours or so to reduce pain.