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Frozen Shoulder in Banstead, Surrey
If you’re dealing with a frozen shoulder, the stiffness, tightness, and limited movement can make everyday tasks feel frustratingly difficult. It’s easy to think it’s just a minor strain or that the pain will calm down with rest… but instead, your shoulder keeps getting stiffer and more painful over time.
There may not have been an obvious cause – but it’s clearly not getting better on its own.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone – we hear this all the time. Frozen shoulder is a condition many people come to see us about at our physio clinic here in Banstead, Surrey, especially when the pain and restriction start affecting sleep, work, or simple daily activities.
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What Is Frozen Shoulder?
Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is one of the most challenging shoulder conditions we treat at Body Zest. While general shoulder pain can arise from several issues – such as subacromial impingement or tendonitis – frozen shoulder is unique in the way it affects movement, pain levels, and day-to-day life.
Frozen shoulder occurs when the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, thickened, and extremely tight. This leads to a progressive and often severe restriction in movement. Unlike other shoulder conditions that allow some freedom of motion, frozen shoulder typically limits even the simplest activities. People often describe the shoulder as feeling completely “stuck”, with sharp pain in certain positions and a heavy, aching discomfort at rest. The condition is notoriously slow to resolve without help. It typically passes through three phases – a painful “freezing” stage, a stiff “frozen” stage, and a slow “thawing” stage in which mobility gradually returns. However, without proper intervention, recovery can take many months or even years.
What are the symptoms of a Frozen Shoulder?
While every case is different, frozen shoulder often presents with:
- Sharp, catching pain at the front or outer edge of the shoulder
- Severe restriction in lifting the arm overhead or out to the side
- Difficulty reaching behind your back or into your back pocket
- Pain at night, especially when lying on either shoulder
- Sleep disturbance due to inability to find a comfortable position
- Aching pain during everyday tasks (lifting, reaching, driving, using a mouse)
- Stiffness that continues to worsen for weeks or months
- A sensation that the shoulder is “locked” or “won’t move”
These symptoms can make daily life extremely uncomfortable. Simple tasks – reaching into a cupboard, putting on a jacket, fastening a bra, or driving – become difficult or impossible. Sleep is often one of the biggest challenges. Many people alternate between pillows, sleep positions, and mattress adjustments in search of relief, only to wake feeling stiff and sore.
What Is Our Approach To Fixing / Treating Frozen Shoulder?
At Body Zest, the first step is always an accurate diagnosis. Frozen shoulder behaves very differently from impingement, tendinitis, or rotator cuff problems, and the wrong exercises at the wrong time can make symptoms far worse. Strengthening too early – especially when range of motion is severely limited – usually increases inflammation and discomfort.
Once we confirm frozen shoulder, our treatment focuses on three key goals:
Reduce pain and irritation
We use hands-on treatment to ease tight muscles around the shoulder blade, upper back, and shoulder joint.
This helps reduce protective muscle guarding and improves blood flow to the area.
Improve movement gradually and safely
Gentle mobilisation of the shoulder joint is essential. We work within your pain limits to encourage controlled movement, prevent further stiffness, and support the joint through the “frozen” phase.
This approach helps restore mobility much faster than waiting for the condition to resolve on its own.
Support healing and long-term recovery
Once symptoms settle, we introduce exercises designed to reinforce new mobility, improve shoulder stability, and prevent future flare-ups.
These exercises are tailored to each stage of recovery, ensuring they don’t aggravate the joint.
For shoulder pain caused by tendonitis rather than frozen shoulder, we may also use shockwave therapy, which stimulates a targeted healing response in irritated tendons. This works extremely well when combined with strengthening and hands-on care.
Get Your FREE Frozen Shoulder Guide
If you’re struggling with shoulder stiffness, night pain, or difficulty lifting your arm – and you suspect frozen shoulder – download our free Shoulder Pain Report. It includes helpful guidance, practical tips, and early-stage strategies you can use right away. When you’re ready for personalised care, our team is here to support your recovery every step of the way.
