Can't Lift Your Arm? Understanding Frozen Shoulder and Finding Your Way Back to Movement

You reach up to grab your favorite mug from the top shelf. Suddenly, a sharp pain shoots through your shoulder, and your arm just won't go any higher. Or maybe you're trying to put on your jacket, and you realize you can't get your arm behind you anymore. If this sounds familiar, you might be dealing with what doctors call a frozen shoulder—and trust me, you're not alone in this struggle

Experiencing Shoulder Pain

What's Really Happening in There?

Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis if we're being technical, is exactly what it sounds like—your shoulder joint literally gets "frozen" in place. But why does this happen to perfectly normal shoulders?

Your shoulder joint is surrounded by a capsule of connective tissue. When this capsule becomes inflamed and thickens, it starts forming scar tissue. As more scar tissue builds up, your shoulder joint has less and less room to move. It's like your shoulder is slowly being wrapped in invisible tape that gets tighter over time.

This often happens

• After an injury that kept your shoulder immobilized for a while

• Maybe you had surgery

• Broke your arm

• Just kept it still because of pain.

Sometimes it shows up in people with diabetes, thyroid problems, or heart disease. And frustratingly, sometimes it appears without any obvious reason at all. Women over 40 are particularly susceptible, though we're still not entirely sure why.

The Journey Back to Movement

Here's the truth about frozen shoulder: it's a slow process, but you absolutely can get better. Think of it as happening in three stages—

1. The freezing stage (increasing pain and stiffness)

2. The frozen stage (less pain but very stiff)

3. The thawing stage (gradual improvement).

The whole journey can take anywhere from 18 months to 3 years, but with the right approach, you can speed things up.

Gentle stretching is your best friend. 

Start with pendulum exercises—lean forward, let your arm hang, and gently swing it in small circles. It might feel like nothing's happening at first, but you're slowly encouraging that capsule to loosen up.

Heat therapy works wonders. 

A warm shower or heating pad before exercises helps relax those tight tissues and makes movement less painful.

Physiotherapy is not optional—it's essential. 

A skilled physiotherapist knows exactly how far to push and when to back off. They'll use manual therapy techniques to mobilize your joint, teach you specific exercises, and guide you through each stage of recovery.

The key is consistency and patience. Do your exercises daily, even when progress feels painfully slow. Because one morning, you'll reach for that coffee mug, and you'll realize you can lift your arm just a little bit higher than yesterday.

How Tamboli Charitable Trust Can Help You from Frozen Shoulder

At Tamboli Charitable Trust, we understand that frozen shoulder isn't just physically limiting—it affects your independence, your mood, and your daily life. Our experienced physiotherapists create personalized treatment plans that respect where you are in your recovery journey.

We use a combination of manual therapy, guided exercises, and modern equipment to help restore your range of motion. We provide affordable physiotherapy treatments like Interferential Therapy (IFT) to patients. IFT helps reduce pain, improve mobility, and speed up recovery through safe electrical stimulation.

More importantly, we educate you about your condition so you understand what's happening and why each exercise matters. We're not just treating your shoulder—we're partnering with you for the long haul, adjusting your program as you progress through each stage of healing.

Our affordable care means you don't have to choose between your recovery and your budget. Our physiotherapy center ensures that even underprivileged patients get access to modern care with compassion

Keeping Your Shoulders Happy

While you can't prevent every case of frozen shoulder, you can definitely reduce your risk:

• Keep moving. If you've had an injury or surgery, don't keep your shoulder completely still for too long. Gentle movement, with your doctor's approval, keeps that capsule from stiffening up.

• Manage underlying conditions. If you have diabetes or thyroid issues, work with your doctor to keep them under control.

• Don't ignore shoulder pain. That nagging discomfort you've been brushing off? Get it checked before it becomes a bigger problem.

• Practice good posture. Slouching puts unnecessary stress on your shoulders. Sit tall, keep your shoulders back, and give your joints the space they need.

Remember, your shoulder wasn't built to stay frozen. With the right help and your commitment to recovery, movement will return. It might test your patience, but you'll get there.