Frozen shoulder — known medically as adhesive capsulitis — causes the shoulder to become painful and progressively stiff as the capsule around the joint tightens. It typically moves through stages, and matching treatment to the stage makes a real difference to comfort and recovery.
The stages of frozen shoulder
- Freezing (painful) stage: increasing pain and gradually reducing movement
- Frozen (stiff) stage: pain often eases but stiffness dominates
- Thawing stage: movement slowly returns
Understanding which stage you are in is essential, because the right treatment in the painful stage is very different from the right treatment in the stiff stage.
Signs and symptoms
- Deep, aching shoulder pain, often worse at night
- Difficulty reaching overhead, behind your back, or across your body
- Trouble with everyday tasks like dressing, fastening a seatbelt, or reaching a shelf
- Gradual loss of movement in every direction
How physiotherapy helps
Home physiotherapy for frozen shoulder is carefully paced:
- Stage-appropriate mobilisation and stretching — gentle in the painful stage, more progressive as it settles
- Pain-relieving manual therapy to improve comfort and movement
- A daily home programme to steadily restore range of motion
- Pacing and education so you progress without repeated flare-ups
The NHS notes that frozen shoulder can last months to years, and that physiotherapy and pain management are central to recovery. Dr. Faizan holds a specific certification in the management of frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis).
What to expect from a home visit
After assessing your stage and range of movement, Dr. Faizan treats the shoulder and gives you a simple, stage-matched home routine. Home visits across Lahore mean you can be treated consistently even when the shoulder makes driving uncomfortable.