Frozen shoulder.

What is frozen shoulder and why are women in midlife so much more susceptible to developing frozen shoulder?

And is there anything that you can do to prevent this from ever happening to you?

Well, consider this your healthy shoulder action plan. I’m going to explain to you why midlife women get frozen shoulder far more than any other population, how you can hopefully avoid it, and what to do if your shoulder is already on the fritz.

Meet Cindy.

Cindy is in her early 50s who has been dealing with increasing stiffness and pain in her shoulder. She first noticed the discomfort when she was putting on her seatbelt in the car, thinking it was just an overuse injury or a minor injury after spending the weekend in her garden.

The pain and tightness gradually worsened, making daily activities like dressing or reaching for items painful and difficult.

Cindy was frustrated and confused, thinking what’s going on - I’m only 52, I can’t be falling apart like this! She was also hesitant to seek help, thinking it might go away on its own.

But as it turns out, Cindy was dealing with a “frozen shoulder”.

What is “Frozen Shoulder”?

“Adhesive Capsulitis” - This can happen when the strong connective tissues that surround your shoulder joint (called the joint capsule) become really thick, stiff and inflamed.

• Common symptoms: pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion (especially not being able to lift your arm up or reach behind you)
  • The inflammation may happen first, which creates a lot of pain and thickness in the tissues, which makes you not want to move it, so you move it less, which makes all the tissues even more stiff. It can be a nasty cycle. Over time, adhesions can develop and you’ll have less joint fluid to keep it lubricated.
• There are three stages: freezing, frozen, and thawing.
  • “Freezing”: In this stage, your shoulder becomes stiff and is painful to move. The pain slowly increases. It may worsen at night. Inability to move your shoulder increases.
  • “Frozen”: In this stage, pain may lessen, but your shoulder remains stiff. This makes it more difficult to complete daily tasks and activities.
  • “Thawing”: In this stage, pain lessens, and your ability to move your shoulder slowly improves.

Why is Frozen Shoulder So Common in Midlife/Menopausal Women?

While anyone can develop frozen shoulder, it’s significantly more common in women, particularly during midlife and menopause.

• The hormonal fluctuations during menopause, especially a decrease in estrogen production, can contribute to the development of frozen shoulder
  • Hormonal changes: Estrogen is a really powerful anti-inflammatory. As your body produces less estrogen, joint inflammation can dramatically increase, and the shoulder joint is particularly susceptible to this.
• When you combine decreased estrogen production with other health factors like other inflammatory health conditions (like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid issues), and a previous shoulder injury, and a decrease in physical activity (especially mobility & strength work), you can get the perfect storm for a frozen shoulder.
  • However, I have heard stories of ladies still developing frozen shoulder even with all other factors being great. Just their hormones alone made the mess.

Prevention: What Can You Do to Prevent Frozen Shoulder?

• Stay Active
  • Regular exercise not only reduces full system inflammation, but also keeps your joints much healthier
  • Prioritize shoulder mobility exercises.
    • Constantly moving your shoulders through full ranges of motion is really important. Reach them up, behind, out to the side, across and under, twisting as you go
    • Diagonal arm swings
  • Prioritize strength training to build up the muscular strength around your shoulder joint
    • The stronger your shoulder and posture muscles are, the less likely you’ll get a shoulder injury or an overuse injury that could lead to frozen shoulder
    • Shoulder presses, push-ups, rows, T’s/Y’s/W’s
• Healthy Habits/Lifestyle
  • Eating an anti-inflammatory diet and staying well hydrated
  • Decreasing your stress
  • Sleeping well
  • Manage your underlying conditions and get your injuries treated.
  • All of these things can reduce your risk of developing frozen shoulder

Management: What Should You Do If You Have Frozen Shoulder?

• You do need professional advice and a treatment plan
  • Frozen shoulder is not something that you can or should fix all on your own.
  • If your shoulder is extremely painful and you’re already losing a lot of mobility, it’s really important to get in to see your doctore and get on a physical therapy treatment plan ASAP. The sooner you start treating it with a planned strategy, the sooner you’re overcome it.
  • PT’s have access to protocols and specific therapies that will improve the health of your shoulder so much more effectively than you could on your own
• Home Care
  • There are some simple things you can still do at home, like using a combination of ice and heat to reduce pain and swelling, anti-inflammatory pain meds, gentle posture drills and stretches that feel good, working on staying healthy and active in ways that don’t involve your shoulder
  • Some severe cases might need steroid injections or, in very rare cases, surgery.

More Resources & Links

FREE Posture Masterclass - Improve your shoulder, upper spine & posture health with simple, everyday moves!

Episode 368. 4 Common Mistakes to Avoid that Cause Shoulder Pain

The Jumpstart 30 Program for Beginners - Start here for an easy, daily strengthening routine!

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