Joint injuries are necessary discomforts to be treated promptly due to the pain and disability they can cause in the individuals who present them. Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder, also known as frozen, is one of these situations. However, they can be addressed with simple exercises at home, adaptable to the progress in the problem that each person may present.
In the following FastlyHealarticle, we put at your disposal the best exercises for frozen shoulder and their principles to better understand them or foresee if some other activity is beneficial or not for shoulder capsulitis.
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Frozen shoulder: physical therapy and principles for exercises
Shoulder capsulitis refers to the inflammation of the shoulder joint and its consequent thickening and the reduction of the synovial fluid that lubricates and cushions said joint might also be involved. These factors then gradually decrease its ability to move until its complete immobilization. In addition, there is pain, especially when capsulitis is emerging, and if it is to move the shoulder beyond what said inflammation is allowing.
The approach to capsulitis can be delicate and requires patience. This problem has very variable causes and is sometimes not so easy to specify; At the same time, the person recovers, the shoulder should not be forced, and in the case of performing exercises for it, it is essential to know certain principles:
- Exercises for frozen shoulder should be done with as little force as possible. Activities that represent a low tension will be the most indicated even in the most advanced stages of capsulitis.
- Awareness of gravity: the gravitational force also influences the effort to be made, so some of the exercises – especially the initial ones – are done without forcing against gravity (raising the arm).
- Stretches to all possible sides to activate and mobilize muscles and joints.
- The pain will signify knowing the limited range of motion to be executed.
Exercise to cure frozen shoulder: pendulum
This exercise, popularly known as the pendulum, is the simplest and requires the least effort. For it, the person must lean on a table so that the torso is horizontal – you can rest it on the table – but the shoulder to be mobilized remains in the air with the arms hanging and relaxed.
The arm can swing slightly back and forth, thus allowing gravity and inertia to enable movement instead of muscular force.
Holding the torso parallel to the floor allows a much more comfortable and wider angle of movement than standing, where turning back would require at least some tugging.
Rotation exercises to rehabilitate the frozen shoulder
You can also call them rotations supported on the frame of a door. With the hand of the affected arm, grasp the edge, keeping the body far enough away so that the elbow forms a 90-degree angle. Turn your body to the opposite side of that arm, preferably without lifting your feet. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement about ten times.
In this exercise, you will feel the stretch in the front of the shoulder, performed by the force of the torso when moving and the counterforce from the hand when holding on to the door frame.
Bringing the arm to the opposite side from the front
This exercise is already better known because it is performed in sports warm-ups; however, it will be done with a smaller amplitude or according to what capsulitis allows and can be removed from the list of exercises if the capsulitis is too strong.
In this exercise, take the elbow of the affected arm with the opposite hand, and bring it to shoulder height (with the force of the same component or the hand that supports it to avoid forcing capsulitis). From this position, bring your elbow and your whole arm towards you. Here, you can notice that the opposite arm exerts force.
The movement done under normal conditions allows the arm to touch the neck. However, for capsulitis, it could be impossible, so the activity must be adapted to the limits indicated by the pain.
Arm flexion
For the following frozen shoulder exercise, lie flat on your back on the floor, grasp the affected arm with the healthy arm and, without straining the injured limb, slowly lift it and bring it slowly in a linear direction up to the height of the head (the movement of the arm would be greater than 90 degrees).
Remember that the arm affected with capsulitis mustn’t make any effort. Always keep it relaxed. Bring the arm as far back as the injury will allow and where the excellent component can support it without requiring force – or resistance to falling – from the damaged arm.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Exercises for frozen shoulder , we recommend that you enter our Bones, Joints and Muscles category .

I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.