Physical Therapy for Frozen Shoulder

Can physical therapy help with frozen shoulder?

Physical therapy can help manage frozen shoulder by reducing pain, maintaining or regaining functional movement, and enabling you to resume your activities. The program tailors the activities and the amount of exercise to your response. A systematic review is an assessment that searches for, selects, and evaluates available studies on a specific topic. The systematic review on physical therapy for frozen shoulder reports that certain interventions improve pain, mobility, and function—that is, the ability to perform daily activities. However, the same review concludes that the studies are methodologically too weak to identify one approach as superior to the others. ¹ Depending on your pain, stiffness, goals, and other health issues, a doctor’s visit may also be useful for discussing options such as an injection. The treatment plan evolves based on your response, just as it does for other shoulder and arm pain conditions. If you’d like to first understand the causes, symptoms, and progression of frozen shoulder, check out our comprehensive guide on frozen shoulder.

Response to the Plan and Priorities

Pain, mobility, and function may improve at different rates. Follow-up focuses on the activities that are important to you and on the changes that are actually observed.

Physical therapy can help you understand the problem, adapt your activities, and try out movements or exercises based on how you respond. A review of 14 trials on information provided to people with shoulder pain included only one study on frozen shoulder. That trial evaluated daily reminders, encouragement, and explanations about exercises sent via text message. These additions did not improve pain or functional ability any more than when these messages were not sent. This comparison does not account for all the ways in which the problem might be explained during a consultation. ²

What are the goals of physical therapy for capsulitis?

Physical therapy aims to make sleep more tolerable, restore functional movement, and enable patients to resume important activities. The treatment plan may combine educational guidance, activity modifications, exercises, and—when helpful in achieving a specific goal—specific manual techniques. The combination described remains common in clinical practice. The available data do not yet allow us to identify the best combination or the most beneficial amount of exercise. A systematic review with a meta-analysis—a calculation that combines data from multiple studies—included sixteen studies on manual therapy and exercise. The pooled comparisons did not show a clear benefit regarding pain, daily functioning, or external rotation, which rotates the arm outward. The quality of the data ranged from low to very low. ³ An injection may also be discussed with a doctor when pain severely limits sleep or participation in exercises. A systematic review combines randomized trials, which randomly assign participants to the groups being compared. A corticosteroid injection—a powerful anti-inflammatory injected into the shoulder—performed better than a placebo and physical therapy for up to twelve weeks. A placebo looks like the treatment but lacks its active ingredient. The authors suggest considering this option especially when pain is the primary symptom at the outset. ⁴ The choice depends on the evaluation, your preferences, your response to treatment, and any contraindications—that is, situations in which the treatment may be inadvisable.

Can an injection complement physical therapy?

A nerve block, combined with joint injections and physical therapy, shortened recovery time in a trial involving 54 people. The researchers compared this treatment to the same program using a placebo injection instead of the nerve block. They recommended repeating either the nerve block or the placebo every twelve weeks if symptoms persisted. This schedule does not mean that a single injection numbs the nerve for three months. ⁵ The 54 participants were divided into two groups of 27. A glenohumeral injection is administered directly into the joint between the shoulder blade and the upper arm bone. A suprascapular block is an injection of medication around the suprascapular nerve to temporarily reduce sensitivity in part of the shoulder. This nerve carries sensation to a large portion of the shoulder.

In the cited trial, the average time to resolution—as defined by the researchers—was 5.4 months with the suprascapular block, compared with 11.2 months with the placebo. The average difference between the two groups was therefore approximately six months. This figure comes from a single trial and refers to resolution as defined in advance by the researchers, not to the complete disappearance of symptoms in a specific individual. ⁵ The block also improved pain, range of motion, and the ability to perform daily activities. This result pertains to the addition of the block to comparator treatments and does not describe the progression of all cases of frozen shoulder. ⁵

The plan progresses based on your pain, mobility, activities that are difficult for you, and your response to the exercises. These factors are more important than a predetermined sequence of exercises.

When Pain Takes Over

The top priorities may be to make sleep or an activity more tolerable and to maintain useful movements, without seeking maximum range of motion at all costs.

Quand l’épaule réagit fortement au mouvement, les mouvements commencent dans une amplitude tolérable. Une hausse légère et brève des symptômes peut être acceptable, mais une aggravation nette ou durable invite à réduire la charge et à réévaluer le programme. Le guide clinique de 2013 propose d’adapter l’intensité des mouvements à la douleur et à la tolérance de l’épaule⁶. L’essai du bloc nerveux utilisait aussi des exercices adaptés à la réaction de chaque personne, sans comparer directement deux intensités d’étirement.⁵

The following options can be tried in small amounts and continued only if they help:

• Joint mobilizations, small hand-applied movements to the shoulder, if they improve a symptom or a useful movement
• Manual therapy on adjacent muscles should be performed only if it temporarily improves comfort or movement
• A short-term comfort measure, used only if it helps with mobility or sleep
• A movement you perform yourself, chosen for a specific action, with a manageable range of motion and frequency

When stiffness is the main factor limiting activities

If a loss of range of motion interferes with an important activity, the program can help improve that range of motion without waiting for the pain to disappear completely:

• Larger-scale mobilizations only if they are tolerated and yield a useful benefit
• Stretching aimed at a functional movement, without assuming that it acts solely on the capsule
• Mobilization with movement tested on a specific gesture, then re-measured
• Perform the exercise with the help of the other arm or a support if doing so allows for a more comfortable or effective movement

When the shoulder can better handle activities and resistance

The program can then focus on a more demanding activity—whether it involves strength or endurance, or the ability to sustain or repeat an effort—depending on your priorities:

• Gradual reinforcement related to a task you want to resume
• Exercises to strengthen your arm in the positions required for your activities
• Gradual resumption of a specific activity, with the effort adjusted based on your response—for example, combing your hair, reaching for a shelf, placing a light object on it, or carrying an object
• Simplify the program as you make progress, keeping only the exercises that still serve a purpose

An evaluation can help clarify options, set measurable goals, and adjust the workload as symptoms change. The timing of the first consultation alone does not predict the duration of recovery.

What treatments are effective for a painful and stiff shoulder?

Exercises, stretches, and manual techniques can be tailored to a painful and stiff shoulder. The physical therapist selects them based on your main issues, such as nighttime pain, limited movement, or difficulty performing certain activities. Each intervention should be reevaluated: if it does not improve your symptoms, mobility, or function, the treatment plan is adjusted.

Appropriate Joint Mobilization Techniques

Mobilizations are passive movements applied to the shoulder. They are not necessary in every care plan. Whether they are appropriate, as well as their direction, range of motion, and force, depend on the assessment, the patient’s tolerance, and the goals discussed with the patient. When they are recommended, the physical therapist may apply them to the glenohumeral joint in the direction selected during the evaluation.

Stretches selected based on tolerance

A stretch performed with assistance or using the other arm can help determine a useful range of motion. Duration and intensity should start at a low level and increase only if the response remains acceptable during the exercise and in the hours that follow. An exercise that causes lasting pain should be modified rather than forced.

• When pain is predominant, assisted movements and gentle mobilization allow for exercise within a tolerable range. Sharp pain or prolonged worsening after a session warrants reducing the intensity and revising the exercises. A cortisone injection can be discussed with a doctor when appropriate. A Cochrane review of 49 trials on joint contractures—that is, persistent limitations in joint movement—in people with neurological or other conditions did not show any significant improvement in mobility with the stretching exercises studied for periods of less than seven months. This finding, which applies to several types of contractures, does not replace studies specific to frozen shoulder. ⁷
• When stiffness is the predominant symptom, exercises are designed to gradually restore the arm’s range of motion in elevation and rotation. The physical therapist may increase the range of guided movements depending on the shoulder’s tolerance. Distension arthrography—an injection of fluid into the joint—may be considered when significant limitations persist despite the treatments already tried. In a trial involving 60 participants, adding a progressive stretching device to physical therapy resulted in a greater gain in range of motion compared to physical therapy alone after four weeks, with the difference still evident at the 12-month follow-up. ⁸ A single trial of this size is not sufficient to establish the effectiveness of all progressive stretching devices.

Mobilization with movement, when appropriate

Mobilization with movement combines sustained pressure on the joint with a movement you perform yourself. The physical therapist tests the technique and then reassesses the movement. An immediate improvement may guide the session, though it does not guarantee a lasting effect. A 2026 review included 29 trials on chronic capsulitis. At the end of the programs, this technique resulted in greater improvements in pain, functional ability, and certain movements compared to other mobilization techniques. Results varied widely across the trials. The few follow-ups conducted two to ten weeks later showed no clear benefit, leaving the long-term effect uncertain. ⁹

Manual therapy on the surrounding muscles

Manual therapy targeting the muscles around the shoulder may be aimed at providing temporary relief or facilitating movement. It is not necessary in all care plans. Whether it is appropriate depends on the assessment and the goals discussed with the patient.

The loss of range of motion does not necessarily depend on fixed stiffness of the joint capsule. A measurement taken under anesthesia suggests that protective muscle contraction may contribute to the restriction in some people, although it is not possible to quantify its role in an individual case. ¹⁰

Terms and conditions sometimes offered

• Electrotherapy (TENS): TENS is a device that delivers an electrical current through electrodes—conductive pads attached to the skin. A Cochrane review, produced by an international network that independently evaluates healthcare interventions, examined electrical current treatments used for capsulitis. The evidence is very uncertain and does not allow for a determination of the added benefit of combining ultrasound and TENS with exercises. ¹¹
• Heat: gentle, soothing heat that enhances comfort, without claiming to prepare or soften the capsule
• Cooling: a brief, gentle cooling sensation—if you prefer it for comfort—without direct contact with the skin
• Therapeutic ultrasound: a device emits sound waves that are inaudible to the human ear

The plan doesn't need to combine all of these options. It focuses on interventions that help you sleep better, be more active, or accomplish an important task. The at-home program should remain feasible and be adjusted based on your response, rather than followed at all costs.

What a Consultation Can Offer

Une évaluation en physiothérapie pour une douleur à l'épaule peut clarifier les mouvements difficiles, vérifier si le tableau correspond à une capsulite et définir des objectifs concrets. Elle permet aussi d'orienter vers un médecin si le portrait suggère une autre cause, sans garantir une récupération plus rapide ni complète. Elle peut notamment:

• Adapt activities and exercises to the symptoms, and then adjust them as mobility and function change.
• Measuring effective movements and tracking their progress
• Test strategies to make sleep, movement, or activities more tolerable
• Plan for a gradual resumption of key activities

The symptoms that require urgent medical attention are described in our comprehensive guide to capsulitis.

What does an initial physical therapy consultation involve?

The initial consultation includes a discussion of your symptoms, an examination of active and passive range of motion, and an investigation into other possible causes. The duration of the consultation depends on the clinic and the complexity of the problem. The physical therapist will then explain the findings of the evaluation, any uncertainties, and reasonable treatment options.

Interview about your symptoms and priorities

The physical therapist will begin by understanding your problem and the health factors that may influence the evaluation:

• When the symptoms began and how they have changed
• Movements, positions, and activities that worsen or alleviate symptoms
• Impact on daily activities, work, and hobbies that are important to you
• Relevant health factors, including diabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are too high; thyroid disorder, a condition affecting the thyroid gland in the neck that regulates several bodily functions; recent injury or surgery
• The Effect of Pain on Sleep and Tolerated Positions
• Treatments, exercises, and medications already tried, along with their beneficial or adverse effects

A physical exam tailored to your situation

The physical exam is tailored to your symptoms and may include the following:

• Observation: spontaneous movements, arm use, and visible differences between the shoulders
• Manual examination: identification of tender areas that may supplement the examination, though this alone does not confirm the diagnosis
• Range of motion: a comparison of relevant active and passive movements, depending on what your shoulder can tolerate
• Stiffness distribution: measurement in multiple directions and a cautious comparison with the other shoulder when such a comparison is relevant
• Muscle strength: pain-sensitive tests to distinguish between apparent weakness and difficulty exerting effort
• Daily Activities: Observing activities that are important to you, within a safe range

Assessment Results, Uncertainties, and Explanations

The physical therapist will discuss the findings, any uncertainties, and the next steps with you:

• The evaluation's findings, other possible causes, and the degree of uncertainty
• The current assessment of pain, stiffness, and function, without imposing a predetermined sequence
• Goals to be pursued and grounds for reassessment: sustained worsening, new weakness, or lack of meaningful change despite a plan implemented as agreed
• The proposed plan, reasonable alternatives, and the criteria for revising it

Initial interventions, if indicated

If the evaluation does not reveal any reason to postpone the exercises or seek medical advice, the first visit may also include:

• A manual technique, if it targets a specific symptom or movement
• Learning exercises at home with cues for adjusting or pausing them
• Tips for temporarily adjusting the most irritating positions and activities
• A short-term comfort measure only if it makes it easier to move or sleep

How to Decide How Often to Schedule Follow-ups

The frequency depends on your goals, your ability to work independently with the program, the pace of change, and the need for reassessment:

• Closer monitoring if the pain significantly interferes with sleep or if the program needs to be adjusted quickly
• Less frequent follow-ups if you're making progress on your own; more frequent follow-ups only if each visit results in a useful adjustment
• Follow-ups that are gradually spaced out as goals are achieved and the program is well understood

The number of sessions is not determined in advance. Follow-up sessions continue only if they result in a meaningful change, progress in the program, or a necessary reassessment.

Prolonged symptoms do not automatically require frequent follow-up visits throughout their course. A systematic review of the course of the condition without treatment reports that limitations in movement sometimes persist for one to four years, with no guarantee of full recovery. ¹² The same study does not compare the frequency of visits, so the timing of follow-up visits remains a clinical decision. Physical therapy sessions may be scheduled more frequently to establish or adjust a treatment plan, and then spaced out based on the patient’s independence, measured changes, and goals.

Examples of goals to pursue, based on your profile

If the pain mainly interferes with sleep and daily activities

• Objective: to make sleep or an activity more tolerable and to preserve useful movements
• Frequency: as needed to reassess and adjust the plan
• To be addressed separately: sleep, nighttime pain, and significant movements

If stiffness mainly limits daily activities

• Objective: To improve a movement that limits an important activity
• Frequency: just frequent enough to make meaningful progress in the program
• To be tracked separately: measured range of motion and ease of performing daily activities

If mobility and function are already improving

• Goal: to make progress toward a chosen activity with a manageable workload
• Frequency: Follow-ups at irregular intervals, as needed to adjust goals or workload
• Coming up: a gradual resumption of selected activities and any further adjustments that may be necessary

Factors to Consider Without Predicting Your Personal Time Frame

• Time before seeking care: Seeking care early can help clarify the diagnosis and treatment options, though it does not guarantee a shorter recovery time
• Home exercise program: A manageable program makes it easier to stick with; if it’s too painful or unrealistic, it should be adjusted rather than continued out of a sense of guilt
• Medical history: Please report any diabetes, thyroid disorders, and relevant medications so that we can tailor the evaluation and treatment options accordingly—without making any assumptions about the cause or duration of your symptoms.
• Initial Assessment: Pain, mobility, sleep, and daily activities provide useful guidelines for selecting and revising the plan
• Age and overall health: These factors guide the selection and progression of exercises, but do not provide a recovery timeline.

Useful changes to track over time

• Less disrupted sleep or better tolerance of nighttime sleeping positions
• Useful movements that are a little easier, even though the range of motion varies from day to day
• Everyday tasks performed with less difficulty or the need to compensate
• The need for medication is discussed with the prescriber, taking into account pain and function

Capsulitis often requires patience. A helpful plan focuses on measurable changes in sleep, movement, or activities and is adjusted when those changes do not occur.

How do you choose home exercises that are right for your shoulder?

The choice of home exercises depends on which movements are difficult for you, your goals, and how your shoulder responds. The exercises can focus on mobility, strength, or a specific movement. The pendulum exercise, assisted movements, wall exercises, and resistance exercises are examples—not a prescription. The choice of exercises and how you progress depend on how your shoulder responds and your goals.

A home exercise program can help patients continue their practice between visits, provided it is short, easy to understand, and manageable. The frequency and progression of the program are adjusted based on symptoms experienced during exercise, the patient’s subsequent response, and changes in key movements.

Guidelines for Adapting Exercises

• Choose a frequency that you can maintain without causing lasting worsening of your symptoms
• Brief discomfort may be acceptable. Reduce or stop the exercise if the pain increases significantly and does not return to its usual level after this adjustment, if a new symptom appears, or if your function decreases; in that case, reassess the plan.
• Use gentle, soothing heat before moving only if it makes you feel more comfortable
• Use cold wraps only if you find them comfortable; stop using them if you experience significant numbness or a skin reaction
• Adjust the duration and number of repetitions to achieve a tolerable level of tension without a prolonged reaction

Nighttime pain management

• Try sleeping on your back or on the side that doesn't hurt if pressure on your shoulder makes the pain worse.
• A pillow under your arm or in front of you can support your shoulder. Adjust its height for your comfort.
• If pain regularly keeps you from sleeping, talk to a professional about your relief options.

If even small movements easily trigger pain

Start with easy movements. Mild, brief discomfort may be acceptable, but the duration or intensity should be reduced if symptoms persist or interfere more significantly with daily activities.

A gentle pendulum-like motion, if it's comfortable

Lean forward, resting on a table, and let your arm hang loosely. Small movements of your torso will cause your arm to swing without requiring much effort from your shoulder. Start with short movements and stop if the movement significantly worsens your symptoms.

Assisted standing using a cane, within the tolerable range of motion

Lying on your back, hold a cane with both hands. The arm that is less painful can help the other arm move through a range of motion that you can tolerate. Return slowly and adjust the number of repetitions based on how you feel. See a similar movement in the assisted shoulder mobility exercise.

While some movements remain limited, they allow for gradual progress

The difficulty increases only if the movement becomes easier and the reaction remains acceptable. The goal is to achieve a meaningful improvement, not to push the capsule too hard.

Assisted external rotation using a stick

A rotation exercise can be done with a stick held in both hands. Keep the elbow of the hand holding the stick close to your body and use your other hand to gently guide the hand outward. ¹³

Assisted movement toward internal rotation, with the hand behind the back, only if tolerated

Place a towel behind your back and use your less painful arm to gently guide the hand on the affected side up toward your upper back. Do not aim for a specific height. Stop if you experience sharp pain, new weakness, or numbness, or if the pain increases significantly and does not return to its usual level after you slow down or stop the movement.

Movement of the arm in front of the body, without sharp pain

Bring your arm in front of your body and use your other hand to gently guide it toward the opposite shoulder. Stop before you feel a sharp pain, and release if the reaction persists after the exercise.

Sliding the hand along the wall within an acceptable range

Facing the wall, raise your fingers as high as you can comfortably, then slowly lower them. You can also place a towel under the hand on the affected side and gently move toward the wall to slide it along. Use this as a benchmark only to track your progress; don’t try to set a daily record or force yourself into the maximum position. See a similar movement in the shoulder flexion control exercise.

If the joints are better able to withstand a gradual load

Reinforcement can be added to facilitate a specific movement or activity, within a tolerable load.

Gradual strengthening of the rotator cuff, when indicated

The rotator cuff consists of muscles and their tendons—the attachments to the bones—that help move and stabilize the shoulder. Using an elastic band selected based on your strength, rotate your forearm outward or inward while keeping your elbow close to your body. Stay within a comfortable range of motion. The resistance, number of repetitions, and rest days depend on how your body responds.

Lifting with light resistance, if the movement is well tolerated

If this exercise is appropriate for your goal, raise your arm against light resistance within a comfortable range of motion and control the lowering phase. Increase only one variable at a time—for example, range of motion, repetitions, or resistance.

Important: These exercises are general examples, not a personalized program. Brief discomfort is not always a cause for concern. Reduce or stop the exercise and seek advice if the pain increases significantly, persists, is accompanied by new weakness, or further limits your function.

What can one reasonably expect from physical therapy as frozen shoulder progresses?

Physical therapy can help restore movement and functional activities, but results depend on the program and your response. One study followed 77 people with idiopathic capsulitis—that is, capsulitis with no specific identified cause—for 24 months. It compared supportive care with pain-tolerable exercises to intensive physical therapy involving passive stretching and mobilization. At 24 months, 89% of the first group and 63% of the intensive group had achieved a score of at least 80 out of 100 on the Constant score, which combines pain, activities, mobility, and strength. The Constant score is a scale completed by the clinician, where 100 corresponds to a shoulder with no symptoms or limitations. The percentages come from a single prospective study—that is, a study in which participants were recruited and then followed from the start. Both groups followed specific programs. ¹⁴ This specific comparison does not prove that every low-intensity program is suitable for everyone. ¹⁴ This result does not mean that all intensive physical therapy is harmful.

Metrics to Monitor During Recovery

Pain, mobility, and function do not always change in the same order. Track your sleep, a few key movements, and the activities that matter to you separately. An improvement in one area may precede, follow, or occur without a corresponding change in the others.

Factors That Can Facilitate Participation in the Plan

• Access to an evaluation when the diagnosis is uncertain or daily activities become difficult
• A fairly short at-home program that is manageable enough to follow as agreed
• Sessions held frequently enough to reassess progress, make improvements, or simplify the program in a meaningful way
• Comfort strategies and workload adjustments to enable gradual participation
• Taking into account diabetes, thyroid disorders, medications, and other health issues to choose options that are compatible with your situation

Factors that may require an adjustment to the plan

• Symptoms that have been present for a long time, especially if the diagnosis or treatment goals remain unclear
• Diabetes, thyroid disorders, medications, or other health issues should be taken into account when choosing treatment options, without automatically attributing pain or stiffness to them
• A home exercise program that is too painful, too long, or poorly suited to the individual, indicating that it needs to be modified
• Apprehension about movement—best addressed through gradual trials and explanations rather than labeling
• An increase in workload that causes a clear and lasting deterioration, indicating that a more gradual increase is preferable

What we can cautiously say about the trend

The course of the condition varies from person to person. The systematic review on frozen shoulder does not find a consistent course, and there is no guarantee of a complete recovery without treatment. ¹² Variation from person to person is therefore part of the expected clinical picture. Pain, range of motion, and function may change at different rates, and restricted movement may persist even as certain activities become easier.

• If pain or stiffness develops in the other shoulder, a new evaluation is recommended. Similar symptoms alone are not sufficient to conclude that it is another case of frozen shoulder.
• If symptoms recur in the same shoulder, the condition should be reevaluated, as there may be another explanation

Realistic expectations do not preclude hope. The goal is to move forward with important activities without promising a specific date or perfect results. If an intensive program causes symptoms to worsen over the long term without providing any meaningful benefit, it should be scaled back or replaced.

A one-time increase in amplitude under anesthesia does not allow us to predict whether spontaneous recovery will occur, or the extent or timing of that recovery, in a given individual. ¹⁰ The study in question measured amplitudes only immediately before and after anesthesia in five individuals. It did not track recovery thereafter and did not validate any prognostic tool—that is, a tool used to predict the course of the condition.

If shoulder pain and stiffness persist or interfere with your sleep and daily activities, an evaluation can help clarify the problem and your treatment options. The treatment plan should be tailored to your priorities and adjusted based on any changes observed.

References

1. Nakandala P, Nanayakkara I, Wadugodapitiya S, Gawarammana I. The efficacy of physiotherapy interventions in the treatment of adhesive capsulitis: A systematic review. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2021;34(2):195-205.↩ Back to text
2. Zhang Z, Ferreira GE, Downes JS, Cockburn JV, Burke WJ, Malliaras P, et al. The effectiveness of education for people with shoulder pain: A systematic review. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2025;75:103246.↩ Back to text
3. Kirker K, O'Connell M, Bradley L, Torres-Panchame RE, Masaracchio M. Manual therapy and exercise for adhesive capsulitis: a systematic review with meta-analysis. J Man Manip Ther. 2023;31(5):311-327.↩ Back to text
4. Koh KH. Corticosteroid injection for adhesive capsulitis in primary care: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials. Singapore Med J. 2016;57(12):646-657.↩ Back to text
5. Shanahan EM, Gill TK, Briggs E, Hill CL, Bain G, Morris T. Suprascapular nerve block for the treatment of adhesive capsulitis: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial. RMD Open. 2022;8(2).↩ Back to text: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th mentions
6. Kelley MJ, Shaffer MA, Kuhn JE, Michener LA, Seitz AL, Uhl TL, et al. Shoulder pain and mobility deficits: adhesive capsulitis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2013;43(5):A1-31.↩ Back to text
7. Harvey LA, Katalinic OM, Herbert RD, Moseley AM, Lannin NA, Schurr K. Stretch for the treatment and prevention of contractures. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;1(1):CD007455.↩ Back to text
8. Ibrahim M, Donatelli R, Hellman M, Echternach J. Efficacy of a static progressive stretch device as an adjunct to physical therapy in treating adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder: a prospective, randomised study. Physiotherapy. 2014;100(3):228-34.↩ Back to text
9. Storås A, Lillebostad F, Haslerud S, Bjordal JM, Leal-Junior ECP, Johnson MI, et al. Efficacy of mobilization with movement in chronic shoulder pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2026;27(1).↩ Back to text
10. Hollmann L, Halaki M, Kamper SJ, Haber M, Ginn KA. Does muscle guarding play a role in range of motion loss in patients with frozen shoulder? Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2018;37:64-68.↩ Back to text: 1st, 2nd mentions
11. Page MJ, Green S, Kramer S, Johnston RV, McBain B, Buchbinder R. Electrotherapy modalities for adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;2014(10):CD011324.↩ Back to text
12. Wong CK, Levine WN, Deo K, Kesting RS, Mercer EA, Schram GA, et al. Natural history of frozen shoulder: fact or fiction? A systematic review. Physiotherapy. 2017;103(1):40-47.↩ Back to text: 1st, 2nd mentions
13. Cambridge University Hospitals. Frozen shoulder.↩ Back to text
14. Diercks RL, Stevens M. Gentle thawing of the frozen shoulder: a prospective study of supervised neglect versus intensive physical therapy in seventy-seven patients with frozen shoulder syndrome followed up for two years. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2004;13(5):499-502.↩ Back to text: 1st, 2nd mentions

Nos physiothérapeutes ont défini la stratégie de recherche, le plan et le contenu clinique de cet article. Un outil d’IA a soutenu la recherche documentaire et la révision du texte pour assurer une cohérence du contenu et du style d’écriture.