Frozen Shoulder: What’s Actually Helping Me (And What Isn’t)

If you’ve ever had frozen shoulder, you know it’s not just some nagging pain—it’s a persistent, joy-stealing, sleep-wrecking beast. I’m still in the thick of it right now, seven months and counting, and let me tell you: I’ve tried everything short of calling a priest for an exorcism.

X-rays? Done.

Doctors? Seen more than one.

Medications? I’ve gone through Aleve, Advil, and even random homeopathic potions I found on the internet at 2 a.m.

Physical therapy? Yep.

Massagers, heating pads, cold packs? All stacked up like a shoulder pain survival kit.

Frozen Shoulder stretches

Some of those flashy exercises on Instagram Reels and YouTube? Honestly worse than the pain itself. I mean—hello—I’m struggling to reach for a coffee mug, and you want me to rotate my arm like I’m prepping for the Olympics?

What’s Actually Helping Me Right Now

The simplest, most un-glamorous stretches. That’s it. Nothing fancy. No acrobatics. Just gentle movements that don’t make me cry. They’re not flashy enough to go viral, but they’re keeping my shoulder moving and making my days somewhat more livable.

✅ Wall Climbs

I “walk” my fingers up the wall—both front-facing and sideways. I don’t push for height. I just go slow and breathe. Sometimes I stop halfway, and that’s totally fine. Right now, progress is measured in inches, not miles.

✅ Pulley or Towel Stretch

I lie down and use my good arm to gently raise the frozen one over my head. It's painful—but tolerable. Think: cranky muscle being dragged out of bed before it’s ready. But it loosens things up in a way nothing else does.

✅ Chin Tucks & Posture Work

Honestly, I didn’t expect this one to help, but it does. Fixing my neck and upper back posture with chin tucks, gentle shoulder rolls, and wall standing is relieving pressure on the shoulder. Posture matters more than I thought.

✅ Elbow Push & Pendulum Swings

While lying down, I press my elbow gently into the bed to re-engage the joint. I also do tiny circular movements with my arm dangling—pendulum-style. It looks silly, but it actually feels good. Like oiling a rusty hinge.

✅ Listening to My Body

There’s a difference between helpful pain and “why am I doing this to myself” pain. I’m learning to stretch just to the edge of discomfort—and then stop. That edge moves slowly, but it does move.

What’s Not Working (And I’m Done Pretending It Does)

❌ Over-the-top routines from Instagram trainers who assume I’m an elite athlete.

❌ Stretching too far, too soon. My nights are so much worse if I overdo it.

❌ “Just rest it” advice. When I stopped moving my arm completely, everything got tighter—and more painful.

Where I’m At Now

Days are a little easier. I can type, cook, even fold laundry (grumbling optional). But nights? That’s still rough. The stiffness kicks in hard when I lie down, and I wake up with my shoulder screaming at me. Still, I’m not where I was months ago—and I try to hold on to that.

Do You Have a Tip That Helped You?

Seriously—if you’ve dealt with frozen shoulder and found anything that helped (some pillow trick, quirky stretch, sleep position hack, whatever), please drop it in the comments. I’m all ears—and I know there are others here who need real-life advice, not just generic internet noise.

Final Thought (Because We Need One)

Frozen shoulder recovery isn’t a straight line. It’s a slow-motion hobble with weird, painful twists. But gentle movement, patience, and tuning into what works for you—not what some overly flexible yoga influencer is doing—does help.

If you're dealing with this too, know that you're not alone.

Let’s get through this one stretch, one inch, one deep breath at a time. 💪🏼