If you’re recovering from surgery or an injury and notice your shoulder becoming stiff and painful, don’t ignore it. While some soreness is expected, significant restriction could mean frozen shoulder—a condition that requires targeted PT exercises for frozen shoulder and professional guidance.
What is Frozen Shoulder?
Frozen shoulder develops when the capsule of connective tissue surrounding the shoulder joint thickens and tightens. This restricts motion and limits mobility, creating pain and stiffness that limit everyday activities. It often occurs after surgery, immobilization for a rotator cuff injury, or even a broken arm.
Frozen shoulder usually progresses through three stages:
- Freezing stage: Shoulder movement becomes painful and range of motion decreases
- Frozen Stage: Pain may ease, but stiffness intensifies and mobility is significantly reduced
- Thawing Stage: Shoulder motion gradually begins to improve
PT Exercises for Frozen Shoulder
If you’ve had an injury or surgery that limits movement, gentle PT exercises for frozen shoulder can help prevent your condition from worsening. Before you begin, warm up the shoulder—try a warm shower, bath, heating pad, or even a warm towel. Before you begin your exercise routine, remember to always stretch to the point of tension, not pain.
Pendulum Stretch
Do this first in your routine. Stand next to a table and plant your healthy palm on the tabletop. Relax your shoulder and lean over slightly, allowing the affected arm to hang down. Swing your arm in a small circle (about a foot in diameter). Make three circles in each direction once a day and as your symptoms improve, slightly increase the repetitions, frequency, and even the diameter of your circles. When you’re ready for more, consult your Doctor of Physical Therapy—they may clear you to increase the stretch by holding a light weight (three to five pounds) in the swinging arm.
Towel Stretch
Hold one end of a 3-foot towel behind your back and grab the opposite end with your other hand. Holding the towel in a horizontal position, pull the towel with your good arm, stretching your affected arm upward and to the side with the palm facing away from the body. Repeat this 10-20 times daily. For an advanced version, drape the towel over your unaffected shoulder and pull the affected arm upward toward the lower back.
Cross Body Reach
Sit or stand and use your unaffected arm to lift your affected arm up at the elbow. Bring it up and across your chest, gently pulling it towards your body with light pressure. Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds. Do this 10 to 20 times per day.
Armpit Stretch
Use your unaffected arm to lift the affected arm onto a shelf about chest height. From this position, gently bend your knees to open up your armpit. Deepen the knee bend slightly to stretch the area, then return to standing. Repeat this movement, gradually increasing the depth of the bend with each repetition to enhance the stretch. Always move slowly, avoid forcing the motion, and aim for 10 to 20 repetitions each day.
Start Thawing Your Frozen Shoulder
These PT exercises for frozen shoulder are a great place to start, but lasting recovery takes more than stretching at home. At BYoung Physical Therapy, we specialize in shoulder and elbow pain—from post-operative rehab to sports-related injuries. Our team of Doctors of Physical Therapy will guide you through every stage of frozen shoulder recovery, helping you restore mobility and return to the activities you love. Don’t let frozen shoulder slow you down—contact us today to schedule your appointment and take the next step in your recovery.
This content is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for a physical therapy evaluation, medical diagnosis, or individualized treatment plan. Exercises described here may not be appropriate for every person or every condition. Stop immediately if you experience pain, numbness, tingling, or worsening symptoms, and consult a licensed physical therapist or healthcare provider who can evaluate your specific needs. Use of this information is at your own risk.