4 Frozen Shoulder Stretches That Relieve Pain and Improve Mobility in Minutes

Many of us watched our mothers become too stiff in the shoulders to reach back and fasten their own bras. Frozen shoulder is a common complaint, and our chances of experiencing its frustrating limitations climb as we age. But there’s good news: Gentle, pain-free exercises can help us prevent shoulder problems from developing. Here, expert advice to guard against frozen shoulder and some easy stretches to try today at home if you want to stay healthy and nimble long into the future.

Understanding frozen shoulder

“Yet another challenge women in perimenopause and menopause face with declining estrogen levels is increased inflammation and joint stiffness,” says Milica McDowell, DPT, a doctor of physical therapy who treats midlife women. “This can rear its ugly head as a frozen shoulder, which is a condition where the shoulder becomes tight, connective tissue shortens, inflammation rises, joint lubrication decreases and range of motion is lost.” McDowell adds, “Oftentimes, frozen shoulders aren’t particularly painful. They just have incredibly limited range of motion. Cases that are more severe can include painful symptoms as well.”

How common is frozen shoulder after menopause?

“Frozen shoulder has been reported to occur most commonly during the perimenopausal and menopausal years,” explains rehabilitation and sports medicine physician Mariam Zakhary, DO, at Ikon Recovery Centers. And a big reason why is hormone-related tissue stiffness. How common is it? “Frozen shoulder occurs in approximately two to five percent of adults and appears more frequently among females aged 40 to 60.”

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But hormones aren’t the only culprit. A lifetime of hunching or slumping our posture can also trigger shoulder pain and limit our mobility. Esther Gokhale, who has spent a lifetime helping people reverse or prevent back, shoulder and neck pain, notes that the genders are prone to different ways of holding and tensing the body. “Especially women round our shoulders to hide our boobs, maybe in teenage years,” Gokhale explains. “It is true that we have a lot more bad societal messaging as women than men do.”

The best stretches for your shoulders

“Gentle, pain-free stretching may assist in maintaining mobility and reducing stiffness, as well as helping individuals recover from frozen shoulder,” says Dr. Zakhary. Avoid stretches that trigger pain, since they can exacerbate symptoms in the affected arm. She adds, “Posture and body mechanics methods such as the Gokhale Method, which attempt to promote proper postural alignment and reduce muscle tension throughout the neck and shoulder region, may contribute to improved posture and movement quality.”

4 frozen shoulder stretches you can do at home

“At-home care is the most important,” Dr. Zakhary says. So here are four frozen shoulder exercises to try.

Stretch 1: Improve circulation with the Gokhale Method shoulder roll

“One of the things that’s really important for keeping all these tissues pliable is good circulation,” says Gokhale, who recommends this shoulder roll exercise to improve blood flow and nerve communication in the shoulder.

To do
Step 1: Sit tall in a chair. (You can use this stretch-sitting method.)
Step 2: Take one shoulder, stretch it a little forward and then do a rainbow arc to take it up and back.
Step 3: Let gravity settle the shoulder in this new, unhunched position.
Step 4: Repeat on the other side.

“Now you’ve got better circulation to every part of your upper body including your shoulder joint,” says Gokhale. She adds that resetting your shoulder posture like this every time you sit down creates “a nice, hospitable, soft environment, so they can operate properly.”

Stretch 2: Regain motion with pendulum swings

This pendulum activity helps regain lost range of motion in your shoulders.

To do
Step 1: Stand next to a sturdy table or chair. Place your left arm on the surface for support.
Step 2: Bend at the waist and let your right arm dangle, relaxed, toward the floor.
Step 3: Rock your hips or knees to create momentum to get your loose arm to swing forward and backward, side to side or in a circle, reversing direction.
Step 4: Repeat with the other arm.

Stretch 3: Increase range of motion with wall walks

This gentle stretch builds strength and expands your range of motion.

To do
Step 1: Stand an arm length away from a wall.
Step 2: Reach out with a relaxed arm and gently touch the wall.
Step 3: Use your fingers to “walk” up the wall until you run out of your range, and then walk back down.
Step 4: Repeat with the other arm.

Stretch 4: Build shoulder strength with external rotations

This stretching exercise helps build arm strength without straining the shoulder.

To do
Step 1: Stand in front of a closed door with a resistance band attached to the door knob.
Step 2: While holding the unattached end of the band, start with one arm bent at the elbow (90°) and keep it tucked firmly against your ribs.
Step 3: Extend that forearm out, stretching the band with it, while keeping your elbow tucked against your side. Hold for 30 seconds. Then return the hand to your stomach.
Step 4: Switch sides and repeat.

More ways to keep shoulders healthy

Beyond stretching, these simple strategies can help you maintain healthy, flexible shoulder muscles and joints:

Eat anti-inflammatory foods: “Frozen shoulder is not simply ‘tight’ muscles. It is an inflammatory process,” says Dr. Zakhary. Consider an anti-inflammatory diet to help keep flare ups at bay.

Practice awareness: “Some of the best data on prevention and management of this problem is early awareness” of restricted movement, explains McDowell. “If you are starting to have difficulty reaching back to get your seatbelt, you might be headed down this path” toward frozen shoulder. “Making sure you are maintaining equal range of motion on your right and your left is critical to avoiding these problems starting in the first place.”

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Try a self test: “Make sure that you’re not losing the ability to tuck a shirt or fasten a bra behind you. They are critical at-home tests to keep you aware of how much range of motion you do have,” says McDowell. Check in with yourself regularly to make sure you’re maintaining your full range of motion over time.

Hold your phone high: McDowell tells patients not to stare down at their cell phones. Instead, hold it up at eye level. “This can make significant differences in rounded shoulders and internally rotated posture, which are two contributors to the risks of developing frozen shoulder.”

What to remember about frozen shoulder

The key to healthy, flexible shoulders and making a full recovery? Gentle, consistent movement. Listen to your body, never push past pain and pay attention to early warning signs like stiffness or limited range of motion. With just a few minutes of stretching each day, you can keep your shoulders pain-free and flexible for years to come.