A few years ago, I underwent therapy with you for a frozen right shoulder. After the therapy and exercises, I was feeling well. However, two months ago, the same shoulder started hurting again. Does this mean it is freezing again? I remember you mentioned that a shoulder freezes only once in a lifetime.

Frozen shoulder is the name for a condition that involves inflammation of the shoulder joint capsule, along with the deposition of connective (scar) tissue. The end result is pain and restricted movement. If left untreated, it usually lasts about a year and a half before it resolves on its own. Improper treatment, often involving aggressive attempts at mobilization, can extend the condition’s duration, as such interventions can prolong inflammation and slow the healing of connective tissue. With proper treatment, this unpleasant but benign condition can be shortened to an average of six months, according to statistical results from our clinic.

Generally, if the patient has no other conditions, the shoulder freezes (and unfreezes) only once in a lifetime. The only exception to this rule is in patients with diabetes, where the shoulder can freeze multiple times or may never fully unfreeze.

Another possibility in this case is that the shoulder has become painful for other reasons (issues with the cervical spine, bursitis, damage or inflammation of deep tendons, or other causes of pain and dysfunction). Therefore, it is advisable to perform a detailed examination to diagnose the current state and then treat it accordingly.