Adhesive Capsulitis What is Adhesive Capsulitis? While a preliminary search might indicate that Adhesive Capsulitis is just another name for Frozen Shoulder, these conditions are actually quite different. While the term ‘frozen shoulder’ describes general shoulder stiffness, Adhesive Capsulitis specifically means that the shoulder painfully tightens up and stiffens at random moments due to a spontaneous stiffening of the shoulder joint. What are the symptoms of Adhesive Capsulitis? Typically, you will notice a dull ache in the shoulder and arm, along with immobility and stiffness. What will help you differentiate a frozen shoulder from adhesive capsulitis is the sudden, spontaneous nature of these symptoms. How is Adhesive Capsulitis treated? As with frozen shoulder, patients suffering from adhesive capsulitis will go through a series of stages. Our team will create stage-specific treatment approaches to tackle the varying symptoms and accommodate the strengths and weaknesses of each period. During the freezing stage, we will work with you to lower pain and help you maintain your shoulder mobility as much as possible using a variety of stretching and movement exercises. During the frozen stage, we will increase our stretching exercises to restore your range of motion and try to strengthen the area without putting too much of a strain on the injured area. During the thawing stage, we will work with you to restore your typical movement habits and get you to use your shoulder the way you did before you were injured. As your pain and stiffness continues to lessen, we will adjust our techniques so they are tailored to fit your current condition.