Frozen Shoulder Thawing Stage Exercises
Here are a range of exercise videos for frozen shoulderA condition where shoulder movement becomes very limited and painful. The cause is often unknown, bu More in the thawing stage. The isometric exercises from the frozen stage should have helped you build strength in your shoulder. Now with increased range of motion as your shoulder starts to thaw, you can move to more exercises that promote range of motion recovery, strength, and mobility in your shoulder jointThe glenohumeral joint is a ball-and-socket synovial joint and is the most mobile joint in the human.
As you’re starting to see your range of motion return, check out our iOS app Reflex that allows you to accurately measure your shoulder range of motion just using the front-facing camera. It’s a great tool to see your progress and highlight which movements are returning faster and which ones you can work on to get better results. In the premium version you can get all the frozen shoulder exercise videos in the app.
Click here to download Reflex from the App Store.
Signs that frozen shoulder is starting to thaw
Entering the thawing stage is a process that happens gradually over weeks or months. You’ll be relieved to be out of the frozen stage and feel like there is hope after what may seem like an endless lifetime of reduced mobility.
Here are some signs that your frozen shoulder is thawing:
– You have more range of motion in your shoulder
– Your pain is decreasing
– You feel achy or stiff instead of sharp pain
– Your shoulder feels “looser”
As the adhesions in you shoulder start to break up, you’ll feel an increase in range of motion. This is followed by a decrease in pain as the tissue starts to heal. Some people do experience fluctuations in pain during the thawing stage.
Your frozen shoulder will likely thaw on its own given enough time, but there are some things you can do to speed up the process.
- Physical therapy: A physical therapist can help break up the adhesions in your shoulder and stretch the tissue.
- Massage: Massage can help increase blood flow and loosen the muscles around your shoulder.
- Heat: Applying heat to the area can help increase blood flow and loosen the muscles.
- Exercise: Exercising the shoulder, within the limits of your pain, can help break up the adhesions, and strengthen your muscles.
Exercises for the thawing stage are designed to increase your range of motion and strength in the shoulder. You are more likely to be injured if you have limited range of motion and limited strength in your shoulder. Increasing your strength and flexibility will also mean you can return to sports and other activities you may have had to give up during the frozen stage.
These exercises are designed to help with that.
Stabilization Flexion and Extension
Equipment Required: Resistance Band
Steps to follow:
1. Tie a band in front of you at waist level.
2. Firmly hold each end of the band with each hand.
3. Place your hands and arms in line at shoulder level with your palms facing down.
4. Move one arm over your head, keeping it straight, while the other moves close to the body downwards simultaneously.
5. Slowly return to the starting position, and repeat going the opposite way.
Scapula Retraction
Equipment Required: Mat
Steps to follow:
1. Lie on your stomach, face down with your hands on the back of your head.
2. Lift your elbows off the surface while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
3. Let your elbows down and repeat.
Supine Chest Stretch with Hands Behind Head
Equipment Required: Mat
Steps to follow:
1. Lie on your back.
2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows bent.
3. Let your elbows drop gently towards to the floor, as low as possible.
4. Hold the position.
Shoulder Internal Rotation with Elastic
Equipment Required: Resistance Band
Steps to follow:
1. Stand and tie an elastic behind you at head level.
2. Hold the end of the elastic, bend your elbow to 90 degrees and lift your arm out to the side to 45 degrees.
3. Rotate your forearm downward, keeping your elbow bent.
4. Slowly return to the start position and repeat.
Shoulder Flexion Stretch with Swiss Ball
Equipment Required: Swiss Ball
Steps to follow:
1. Stand facing a wall and hold a ball against the wall with one hand. The arm is straight horizontally in front of you.
2. Roll the ball upward by getting closer to the wall and by raising your arm as high as possible until you feel a gentle stretch.
3. Maintain the stretch and lower your arm.
Shoulder Abduction with Elastic
Steps to follow:
1. Tie an elastic beside you at hip height and hold it firmly with one hand.
2. Straighten your arm on the side and raise it overhead as high as you can, keeping the elbow straight.
3. Lower your arm slowly and repeat.
Shoulder Flexion with resistance band
Equipment Required: Resistance Band
Steps to follow:
1. Tie an elastic in front of you at waist level and hold it in your hand.
2. Straighten your arm in front and raise your arm forward as high as you can, keeping it straight.
3. Lower your arm slowly and repeat.
External rotation, 90° Abduction with Resistance Band
Equipment Required: Resistance Band
Steps to follow:
1.Tie a resistance band in front of you at shoulder level.
2. Hold the end of the band, bend your elbow to 90 degrees, and lift your arm out to the side to 90 degrees.
3. Rotate your forearm upwards, keeping your elbow bent.
4. Slowly return to the initial position and repeat.
Pectoralis stretch, mid fibers – Right Shoulder Exercise (Shorts)
Equipment Required: None
Steps to follow:
1. Stand next to a wall and put your hands on the wall behind you at shoulder level, with your fingers pointing backwards.
2. Without turning the trunk, take a few small steps forward until you feel a comfortable stretch in the pectorals major.
3. Hold the stretch.
Tennis Backhand with Elastic Band
Equipment Required: Resistance Band
Steps to follow:
1. Tie an elastic behind you at waist level and hold it with your hand in a tennis backhand position.
2. Pull the elastic forward in a tennis backhand motion.
3. Return your arm slowly to the start position and repeat.
Tennis Forehand with Elastic Band
Equipment Required: Resistance Band
Steps to follow:
1. Tie an elastic behind you at waist level and hold it with your hand in a tennis forehand position.
2. Pull the elastic forward in a tennis forehand motion.
3. Return your arm slowly to the start position and repeat.
Thoracic Extension Mobility with Roller
Equipment Required: Mat and Roller
Steps to follow:
1. Place your foam roller on the floor and take a kneeling position with your wrists on the foam roller in front of you.
2. Roll the foam roller forward by lowering your chest towards the floor and stretching your spine.
Throwing Motion with Elastic Band
Equipment Required: Resistance Band
Steps to follow:
1. Tie an elastic behind your head and hold it with your hand in a “ready to throw” position.
2. Pull the elastic forward and down in a throwing motion.
3. Return your arm slowly to the start position and repeat.
