Working out with a frozen shoulder.

[Andtheworldwentwhite]

Just wondered if anyone here has or had a frozen shoulder? Not sure if this is what I have yet. But I’m trying to gain as much information about exercising as I can.

I prefer strength training to cardio but I’m guessing that isn’t possible with frozen shoulder. Wondering what others did to help or what they had to give up. How long?

I’ve had mine for 7 months so far , been doing some physio recommended stretches but considering I can’t do my bra up anything more than that isn’t happening

I think you’ll struggle to do any upper body stuff to be honest. It’s so painful. You have my sympathy.

all I can say is that I really got into spin classes when I had mine

I’m just thinking about all the hard work I have been putting in to upping my weights etc. and I am going to loose all of that if I have to stop. I’m devastated

A frozen shoulder isn’t just painful, I could not move it. As a PP said, impossible to fasten a bra behind my back, not possible to raise my hand above shoulder level, however much I wanted to. I would recommend seeing a physio as soon as you can to figure out what is wrong, shoulders can take a long time to sort out. I’ve had a very painful shoulder that turned out to be coming from a muscle somewhere round my upper ribs, that really hurt but didn’t restrict movement like the frozen shoulder.

I think my DH managed to run with a frozen shoulder but that was it.

My DH had it twice on both sides. The first time he had treatment, injections etc, the second time he did nothing and it lasted the same amount of time, six months. He did say it was very painful.

You won't lose all your fitness gains. Once it's better you won't be starting from the bottom again and will make gains very quickly.

My frozen shoulder took over 4 years to get better. It was awful and I lost all the muscle tone in my upper arm.

The physio is the best for advice

I managed swimming when I had mine - gentle breast stroke, which is what I do anyway. That was all I could do, apart from the physio exercises (which I was crap at remembering to do) Mine lasted just over a year.

i only have it in one shoulder. Can I do weights on the other side or is that a bad idea.

Hi, yes. Sorry you might have this, it's absolutely excruciating pain.
I had a niggling sensation in my left shoulder about 2 years ago. I went off to have an ultrasound but it didn't really pick anything up (I'm told that an ultrasound and an MRI doesn't really pick up Frozen shoulder in the early stage - not exactly helpful) in June 2024 I saw a specialist who said they thought it was a rotar cuff injury, so obviously it was being treated as such.

In October 2024 it started to get really painful so I was sent for an MRI, about a week before I had my MRI, my shoulder just froze. 2 weeks after my left shoulder froze, my right shoulder started to become painful but no one really listened to me as I thought it was frozen shoulder as it was all the same symptoms. My right shoulder got left and I was told it would resolve itself.

In October 2024 I had a hydrodilatation injection but it didn't work for me, surgery is now my only option. I don't want surgery or to take copious amounts of opiates which I was given.

I have tried acupuncture, shock wave therapy, sports massage, used a tens machine, used cold and hot therapy, and physiotherapy but again nothing really helped. I have gone onto an anti inflammatory diet and have cut out all refined sugars (as that causes inflammation)

My right shoulder is in the extremely painful stage but I am going to try a hydrodilatation injection in that to hopefully bring some relief and stop me losing the mobility.

Tbh, I've tried everything and now I think that it IS just a case of waiting it out - unless of course you want to have surgery.

Good luck, I hope for your sake it isn't FS. 🤞

Hi OP, I don't know much about frozen shoulder, but I recently broke my arm and have been strength training the non injured side (albeit less intensely). I've read studies that say doing this prevents some muscle loss in the injured side.
I've also increased the intensity of leg day - trying to do things like one legged squats etc.

Good luck!

I'm sorry to hear about your shoulder. It can be very painful and frustrating!

After spending a lot of time on physio which did very little, I had the injection. It worked instantly and although it's still tight, I'm now going to the gym, lifting weights etc.

I hope you get it sorted!

I had a lot of pain in my left shoulder and top of arm and couldn't do my bra strap up or lift anything much in left arm/hand. I had physio for 6 months once a fortnight. It didn't help. It just made it more painful for two days after each physio session. I tried injection and it helped a little for about 12 weeks then it started to wear off and more pain. Then my right shoulder started to be painful. I've had an x-ray but that only shows bones not soft tissue. Consultant suggested it might not be a frozen shoulder but a rotator cuff. However he said I'd have to have physio on my right shoulder. It's been about 2 1/2 years now and I'm sick of it. I'm having to take both Codein and Nefopam for the pain. I have pain in both shoulders but the right one is much worse. I've reached the stage where I just want the operation on my right arm but I've been fobbed off with physio and painkillers. Now I'm waiting for physio again. The worst bit is I can't sleep because of the pain. I used to sleep on my side now I can't.