Frozen Shoulder
Frozen Shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, is a musculoskeletal condition involving shoulder pain, reduced function, and limited shoulder range of motion. The term can refer specifically to the frozen phase of this condition, rather than describing shoulder discomfort as a nonspecific symptom.
Explore a focused overview of frozen shoulder, a condition in the musculoskeletal category.
This list shows research findings, not treatments. Nothing here replaces medical care. If you have this condition, talk to a doctor.
What may help
None of these options has good evidence yet. Best evidence first.
4 options:3 not enough evidence1 not tested in people
YogapracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
Trials reported improved shoulder abduction compared with physiotherapy; one trial found effects similar to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs plus physical therapy.
Open the Yoga pageHeating Pads / Warm CompressespracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
A randomized trial involving 30 people with frozen shoulder reported improvement in the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index when thermotherapy was combined with Kaltenborn mobilization, so the finding does not isolate the effect of heat alone.
Open the Heating Pads / Warm Compresses pageSwimmingpracticeNot enough evidence
Too few or too small studies to know if it works.
The one study found a benefit.
A narrative review indicates that aquatic exercise has been studied as a treatment for Frozen Shoulder.
Open the Swimming pageThai MassagepracticeNot tested in people
Only tested in animals, cells or theory. Results like these often do not carry over to people.
The one study found a benefit.
Thai massage uses passive stretching and mobilization techniques that can improve range of motion and reduce pain in frozen shoulder.
Open the Thai Massage page
The expert view shows every study, dose protocol and source.
What may help
Interventions recorded as helping with this condition4 listedThe best we have, but the evidence is still weak
- →PracticesYogaCertaintyLowSourceRCT
Trials reported improved shoulder abduction compared with physiotherapy (P=.03); one trial found effects similar to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs plus physical therapy.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Back Pain
- Carpal Tunnel
- Frozen Shoulder
- Herniated Disc
- Neck Pain
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- +1 more
Open YogaStudy result
RCTs showed significantly improved shoulder abduction (P=.03) vs physiotherapy (DASH); one RCT found effects similar to NSAIDs + physical therapy (SPADI).
- →PracticesHeating Pads / Warm CompressesCertaintyLowSourceClinical
A randomized trial involving 30 people with frozen shoulder reported improvement in the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index when thermotherapy was combined with Kaltenborn mobilization, so the finding does not isolate the effect of heat alone.
Who was studied
- People with a condition
- Frozen Shoulder
Open Heating Pads / Warm CompressesStudy result
Study population of patients with adhesive capsulitis treated with thermotherapy plus Kaltenborn mobilization, with improvement in Shoulder Pain and Disability Index reported.
- →PracticesSwimmingCertaintyLowSourceReview
A narrative review indicates that aquatic exercise has been studied as a treatment for Frozen Shoulder.
Open SwimmingStudy result
Treated in 4 primary studies, 5 total reports.
- →PracticesThai MassageCertaintyLowSourceTheoretical
Thai massage uses passive stretching and mobilization techniques that can improve range of motion and reduce pain in frozen shoulder.
Open Thai MassageStudy result
Thai massage's passive stretching and mobilization techniques can improve range of motion and reduce pain in adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder).
What to avoid
Interventions recorded as making it worseNothing in this library is currently recorded as making Frozen Shoulder worse. Coverage is partial, and absence here is not evidence of safety.
How to read the evidence
Evidence tier — overall strength of the evidence for the whole compound
- StrongWell established — backed by strong, consistent human research.
- ModerateSome genuine support, but mostly from small or lower-quality studies. Promising, not proven.
- PreliminaryEarly-stage evidence — a promising hypothesis, not an established effect yet.
- LimitedVery limited evidence — treat this as a hypothesis, not proof.
- InsufficientNot enough good evidence to draw conclusions yet.
Certainty — how sure we can be that the effect is real
- Very highVery sure — strong, consistent evidence
- HighFairly sure — consistent evidence from good studies
- MediumModerately sure — new studies could change this
- LowNot sure — little or mixed evidence
- Very lowVery unsure — almost no usable evidence
Source — where the data comes from
- Meta-analysisPooled analysis of many trials — the strongest evidence
- RCTRandomized controlled trial — a strong human study design
- ClinicalA human clinical study
- Reference knowledgeFrom general health-science or pharmacology references, not a study of this exact claim
- Animal researchStudied in animals, not humans
- Community reportsAggregated user reports — anecdotal signal, not evidence
- TheoreticalMechanism-based reasoning, not yet tested
Study grade — quality of each underlying study (A best, D weakest)
- AHigh-quality — strong, consistent human trials
- BGood — solid evidence with some limitations
- CModerate — limited, small, or mixed-quality studies
- DWeak — preliminary, indirect, or animal-only
Confidence — how strongly the sources back a finding
A 0–100 score from study quality and agreement
Most supplement evidence is graded C–D. Read it as preliminary signal, not proof.
Full write-up
What is it
Frozen Shoulder, also called adhesive capsulitis, is a musculoskeletal condition involving shoulder pain, reduced function, and limited shoulder range of motion. The term can refer specifically to the frozen phase of this condition, rather than describing shoulder discomfort as a nonspecific symptom.
Evidence-backed options
Yoga and Hyaluronic Acid have been studied as options associated with frozen shoulder, but the available findings are not directly comparable. Yoga research involved people with a clinical condition and focused on shoulder movement and function, with results suggesting improvement in shoulder abduction and outcomes similar to NSAIDs plus physical therapy in one comparison. Hyaluronic Acid was evaluated as an ultrasound-guided intra-articular injection in people with frozen-phase adhesive capsulitis; reported improvements included pain, function, and shoulder range of motion. Supervised physical rehabilitation also produced within-group improvements in that study context.
The descriptions do not establish a common treatment schedule, dose, duration, or how quickly changes appeared, so they cannot be used to compare speed of benefit or the length of treatment. The Hyaluronic Acid findings also do not specify the broader health status of the participants, while Yoga was studied in a clinical-condition setting. These options therefore represent different kinds of evidence rather than interchangeable treatments. A clinician can help interpret whether either option is relevant to an individual’s frozen shoulder and overall care.