What are the stages of frozen shoulder?

Frozen shoulder normally progresses through 3 phases: 

  • freezing phase (from 6 weeks to 9 months) – shoulder pain starts and gradually worsens, and is often worse at night 

  • frozen phase (from 2 to 6 months) – pain normally continues, and your shoulder gets gradually stiffer, making movement difficult

  • thawing phase (from 6 months to 3 years) – pain and stiffness gradually reduce, and your shoulder starts to regain movement

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