Frozen Shoulder: Why It Lasts So Long And How a San Diego Chiropractor Can Help

Shoulder pain that won’t go away? Struggling to lift your arm or reach behind you? You might be dealing with frozen shoulder, a frustrating and often long-lasting condition that severely limits your mobility. Also known as adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder can develop after injury, surgery, or seemingly out of nowhere, and when it does, recovery often takes months to years.

At Team Elite Chiropractic, we see patients from San Diego, La Jolla, and Scripps Ranch dealing with this very issue. And while frozen shoulder can be one of the toughest conditions to treat, chiropractic care, combined with physical therapy and medical co-management, offers a path forward.

What Is Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder happens when the connective tissue around the shoulder joint, the capsule, becomes inflamed, thickened, and stiff. Over time, this limits movement and causes significant pain.

Frozen shoulder typically goes through three stages:

1. Freezing Stage (Painful Stage): Pain starts gradually and worsens over time. As pain increases, shoulder mobility begins to decrease.
2. Frozen Stage (Stiff Stage): Pain may lessen slightly, but stiffness becomes the dominant issue. Movements like reaching overhead or behind the back become extremely difficult.
3. Thawing Stage (Recovery Stage): Shoulder range of motion slowly returns, and pain continues to subside.

This whole process can take 12 to 18 months on average, with some cases lasting over two years.

Who Gets Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder is most common in adults between the ages of 40 and 60, and it tends to affect women more than men. There are also a few known risk factors:

• Diabetes (especially Type 1)
• Thyroid disorders (both hypo- and hyperthyroidism)
• Post-surgical immobility (like being in a sling after shoulder surgery)
• Previous shoulder injury

If you’re in one of these categories and notice gradual shoulder stiffness or persistent pain, early intervention is key. 

Case Study: A Long Road to Recovery

One of our current patients, a 55-year-old woman with Type 1 diabetes, is experiencing frozen shoulder for the second time. Her first case affected the right shoulder and took nearly 18 months to resolve with physical therapy and cortisone injections.

Now dealing with it in her left shoulder, she initially tried to manage symptoms on her own, but after a flare-up during vacation, she experienced a major setback. Since then, we’ve been working closely with her using a multi-modal treatment approach including:

• Laser therapy
• Manual therapy (ART, scraping, cupping)
• Chiropractic joint mobilization
• Exercise rehab focused on restoring mobility

We’re also co-managing her case with her orthopedist to explore the timing of a second cortisone injection, used strategically to reduce inflammation and allow deeper manual and rehab work.

Chiropractic Treatment for Frozen Shoulder

At Team Elite Chiropractic, we personalize every frozen shoulder treatment plan based on what phase the patient is in and how their body is responding.

Phase 1: Pain Management

• Laser therapy to reduce inflammation
• Gentle joint mobilization to maintain movement
• Soft tissue therapy for comfort and mobility

Phase 2: Mobilization

• More aggressive joint work to break through stiffness
• Stretching and soft tissue work (including cupping and scraping)
• Range-of-motion exercises

Phase 3: Functional Rehab

• Targeted rehab exercises to rebuild strength
• Scapular stability and posture correction
• Return-to-activity coaching

We also incorporate tools like infrared sauna, red light therapy, and PEMF (pulse electromagnetic field therapy), all available at our La Jolla location, to support healing at the cellular level.

When to Seek Help for Shoulder Stiffness

If you’re noticing reduced range of motion, especially after an injury or surgery, don’t wait. The sooner you begin rehab, the better your chances of avoiding full-blown frozen shoulder.

If you’re in the San Diego, La Jolla, or Scripps Ranch areas, our team is ready to help. Whether you’re in early stages or deep into the frozen phase, chiropractic care can improve outcomes, especially when paired with physical therapy and, when needed, medical intervention.

A Chiropractor’s Perspective

“Frozen shoulder is one of the most frustrating conditions we treat. The pain can be intense and the timeline is long—but we try to keep patients motivated by aiming for 1% improvement every day. Our goal is always to balance pushing the joint toward recovery without pushing the patient into unnecessary pain. It’s a fine line, but with consistent effort, healing happens.”
– Dr. CJ Epstein, Chiropractor – Team Elite Chiropractic

Book Your Shoulder Evaluation Today

Schedule your appointment today with a San Diego, La Jolla, or Scripps Ranch chiropractor who understands the complexity of frozen shoulder, and how to help you heal.