Best Treatments for Frozen Shoulder in Naperville IL

You can’t reach the seatbelt. You can’t put on your jacket without help. You woke up at 3 AM again because rolling onto that side sent a deep, searing ache through your shoulder that took your breath away. Your range of motion has been disappearing for months, and now even reaching behind your back to fasten a bra or grab your wallet feels impossible. You’ve been told to “wait it out” because frozen shoulder eventually resolves on its own — in 1 to 3 years.

That’s not an answer. That’s a sentence.

Most patients we see at this stage have already tried stretching or physical therapy — and unknowingly made the condition worse.

I’m Dr. Jennifer Wise, DC, Acupuncturist, owner of Synergy Institute Acupuncture & Chiropractic in Naperville. For 26+ years — since 2000 — I’ve been treating frozen shoulder as both a Doctor of Chiropractic (Palmer College graduate) and a Diplomate-credentialed Acupuncturist, and as the first provider in Naperville to offer SoftWave therapy since August 2021. If you’re searching for the best frozen shoulder specialist near me in Naperville, what you actually need is someone who understands the three stages of adhesive capsulitis, treats each stage differently, and knows the one mistake that turns a 6-month recovery into a 2-year ordeal.

Synergy Institute Acupuncture & Chiropractic is a frozen shoulder treatment clinic located in Naperville, Illinois. We offer non-surgical adhesive capsulitis care through the Synergy Shoulder Restore Program — a stage-based protocol combining SoftWave therapy, MLS laser therapy, acupuncture for shoulder pain, chiropractic care, and gentle joint mobilization — sequenced to the specific stage of your frozen shoulder.

Here’s what almost no one is telling you: the most common reason frozen shoulder takes 2 to 3 years to resolve is wrong-stage treatment. Aggressive stretching during the freezing stage makes it worse. Cortisone alone doesn’t address the underlying capsular thickening. Surgery (manipulation under anesthesia) carries real risks and is only appropriate for true refractory cases. The real path to faster recovery is matching the treatment to the stage — and addressing the inflammatory and capsular components together rather than separately. For the broader picture of how frozen shoulder fits into shoulder pain treatment generally, see our Best Treatments for Shoulder Pain in Naperville hub.

“The natural history of frozen shoulder is variable, with symptoms typically lasting 1 to 3 years; however, conservative treatment focused on stage-appropriate intervention can significantly accelerate resolution.” — Le HV et al., Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder: review of pathophysiology and current clinical treatments. Shoulder & Elbow, 2017

Our office sits on Illinois Route 59 near the 111th Street intersection in Naperville, serving patients throughout Naperville, Aurora, Plainfield, Bolingbrook, and Oswego. Call or text (630) 454-1300 — or call our office directly at (630) 355-8022— to schedule a free Pain Relief Special consultation and find out which stage you’re in and what treatment is right for it.

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Quick Facts: Frozen Shoulder Treatment in Naperville

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What Frozen Shoulder Actually Is — The Three Stages

Frozen shoulder, medically called adhesive capsulitis, is not a muscle injury, a tendon injury, or arthritis. It’s a condition where the joint capsule itself — the fibrous tissue envelope surrounding the shoulder joint — becomes inflamed, thickened, and progressively scarred. As the capsule contracts, range of motion is lost in every direction, but particularly external rotation. The hallmark sign is that even with the muscles fully relaxed, another person cannot passively rotate your arm outward.

The condition moves through three distinct stages, and the stage you’re in determines what treatment is appropriate. Treating a freezing-stage shoulder the same way you’d treat a thawing-stage shoulder is one of the most common reasons recovery takes years instead of months.

Stage 1 — Freezing (6 weeks to 9 months). Pain is the dominant symptom. The capsule is actively inflamed, and you’ll experience progressive worsening of pain — especially at night and with movement. Range of motion is starting to decrease, but the bigger problem is how much it hurts. This is the stage where aggressive stretching is genuinely harmful — the capsule is reactive, and forcing it triggers more inflammation, more scarring, and a worse outcome.

Stage 2 — Frozen (4 to 12 months). The pain often decreases somewhat in this stage, but stiffness becomes severe. The capsule has thickened, adhesions have formed, and your range of motion is now profoundly limited. You can’t reach overhead, behind your back, or across your body. Sleep is still disrupted. Daily tasks remain difficult. Treatment in this stage shifts to addressing the structural restriction.

Stage 3 — Thawing (6 months to 2 years). Range of motion gradually returns, sometimes spontaneously, sometimes incompletely. Without intervention, residual stiffness and weakness can persist long-term. Treatment in this stage focuses on restoring full motion and rebuilding strength.

The total timeline without proper treatment is 1 to 3 years. With stage-appropriate intervention, that timeline often compresses dramatically.

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Why Frozen Shoulder Is So Often Mistreated

Most patients I see have already been to a primary care doctor and possibly an orthopedic surgeon. They’ve been given a cortisone shot, told to do shoulder stretches, and sent to physical therapy. Some have been told flatly that nothing helps and they need to wait it out. Most are not getting better — and several are getting worse.

Here’s why standard frozen shoulder treatment so often fails.

The “wait it out” advice ignores stage-specific intervention. Yes, frozen shoulder eventually resolves. So does most musculoskeletal pain — eventually. But there’s a meaningful difference between resolving in 6 months versus 30 months, and the right treatment can compress that timeline dramatically. Telling a patient to live with severe shoulder pain for 2 to 3 years because “it goes away on its own” is not a treatment plan.

Cortisone provides 4 to 6 weeks of relief, then often nothing. Cortisone reduces inflammation in the capsule temporarily, which helps with pain. But it does nothing to address the underlying capsular thickening or adhesion formation. Multiple studies show cortisone outperforms placebo at 6 weeks but produces no meaningful difference at 6 months or beyond — and repeated injections actively weaken the surrounding tendons.

Aggressive stretching during the wrong stage makes it worse. During the freezing stage, the capsule is reactive and inflamed. Forcing range of motion through stretching, manipulation, or aggressive PT triggers a defensive inflammatory response — more swelling, more scarring, more pain. I’ve seen patients whose frozen shoulder was made significantly worse by well-intentioned but stage-inappropriate stretching protocols.

Surgery (manipulation under anesthesia or arthroscopic capsular release) is appropriate for some cases — and overused for many. True refractory cases that have failed comprehensive conservative care over 12+ months may benefit from MUA or surgery. But many patients are pushed toward surgery because their conservative care wasn’t actually comprehensive — they had cortisone and basic PT and nothing else. SoftWave, acupuncture, sequenced mobilization, and stage-based protocols are not standard at most clinics. Patients fail “conservative care” they never actually received.

Generic shoulder PT misses the capsular component. Standard PT for shoulder pain focuses on rotator cuff strengthening and posture. Frozen shoulder isn’t primarily a rotator cuff problem — it’s a capsular problem. The treatments that work for rotator cuff issues don’t necessarily work for frozen shoulder, and vice versa.

The integrative, stage-based approach addresses what each individual standard treatment misses.

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What Causes Frozen Shoulder — A Cause-Based Framework

Frozen shoulder doesn’t have a single cause. It has a constellation of risk factors and triggers that often overlap.

Idiopathic (no identifiable cause) — about 60% of cases have no clear trigger. The capsule simply begins to inflame and thicken without obvious reason. These cases are often associated with the systemic risk factors below.

Post-immobilization — frozen shoulder commonly develops after the shoulder has been kept still for a period of weeks. This includes after fractures (wrist, arm, collarbone), after surgery (shoulder, breast, cardiac), or after stroke. The mechanism is poorly understood, but reduced movement appears to trigger capsular fibrosis in susceptible individuals.

Diabetes and metabolic syndrome — patients with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to develop frozen shoulder, and their cases tend to be more severe and longer-lasting. The mechanism involves advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulating in connective tissue, increasing stiffness and reducing healing capacity.

Thyroid disease — both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are independent risk factors for frozen shoulder. Thyroid hormones directly influence connective tissue metabolism and inflammatory regulation.

Menopause and hormonal changes — the dramatic increase in frozen shoulder incidence in women aged 40 to 60 is not coincidental. Estrogen plays a role in connective tissue health and inflammatory modulation. Perimenopausal and menopausal hormonal shifts appear to predispose the capsule to fibrotic change.

Other systemic conditions — Parkinson’s disease, cardiovascular disease, and Dupuytren’s contracture all have associations with frozen shoulder. The common thread appears to be systemic inflammatory dysregulation affecting connective tissue.

Understanding the underlying contributing factors matters. A patient with poorly controlled diabetes will respond to treatment differently than a patient with no metabolic component. A patient post-immobilization needs to address the residual stiffness pattern from the immobilization period. A perimenopausal patient may benefit from broader systemic anti-inflammatory support alongside local treatment.

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The Critical “Don’t” — Why Aggressive Stretching Makes It Worse

This is the single most important thing to understand about frozen shoulder, and almost no one talks about it.

During the freezing stage, the joint capsule is acutely inflamed and reactive. The connective tissue is in a defensive, hypersensitive state. Forcing range of motion through aggressive stretching — whether self-directed, through PT, or via manipulation — triggers a defensive inflammatory cascade. The capsule responds to perceived injury by producing more inflammatory mediators, more fibrotic tissue, and more adhesions. The intent is to break up restriction; the result is to create more of it.

This is why so many patients report their shoulder is “worse since starting PT” — they were placed into stage-inappropriate treatment. The PT clinician wasn’t wrong to want to restore motion. The timing was wrong.

In the frozen stage, gentle, progressive mobilization within a tolerable range becomes appropriate. The capsule has stopped actively inflaming and is now structurally restricted. Treatment shifts to gradual capsular stretch combined with regenerative therapies that address the fibrotic tissue itself.

In the thawing stage, more aggressive range-of-motion work is finally appropriate, alongside strengthening to rebuild what was lost.

The same stretch that’s harmful in stage 1 is appropriate in stage 2 and important in stage 3. The treatment isn’t wrong — the stage matching is.

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Every Frozen Shoulder Treatment Option Compared

The key insight: no single treatment is best for frozen shoulder. The best treatment depends entirely on which stage you’re in. A clinic that uses one tool for every patient — or worse, the same tool across all stages — is going to fail most of them.

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The Stage-Specific Treatment Matrix

This is what’s missing from every other frozen shoulder treatment guide in Naperville.

Stage 1 (Freezing) — Anti-Inflammatory Foundation

• MLS laser therapy to reduce capsular inflammation
• Acupuncture for pain modulation and systemic inflammatory regulation
• Gentle pain-free range of motion only — no forced stretching
• SoftWave used selectively for capsular tissue support, not aggressively
• Optional cortisone consideration if pain is severe and unresponsive

Stage 2 (Frozen) — Capsular Restoration

• SoftWave therapy to break up adhesions and stimulate capsular tissue remodeling
• MLS laser to support tissue healing
• Progressive mobilization within tolerance
• Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for deeper tissue effects
• Gentle chiropractic work on cervical/thoracic spine

Stage 3 (Thawing) — Functional Restoration

• Continued SoftWave for any residual capsular restriction
• Active range of motion progression
• Strengthening to rebuild lost capacity
• ARPwave neuromuscular therapy to retrain proper firing patterns
• Posture and biomechanics correction

The treatment isn’t separate from the stage — it’s defined by it.

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The Synergy Shoulder Restore Program for Frozen Shoulder

The Synergy Shoulder Restore Program — our three-phase protocol introduced across the shoulder cluster — applies directly to frozen shoulder with stage-specific calibration.

Phase 1 — Tissue Healing and Inflammation Modulation. For frozen shoulder, this phase looks different depending on the stage you arrive in. Stage 1 freezing patients receive primarily MLS laser, acupuncture, and gentle interventions to calm the inflammatory cascade. Stage 2 frozen patients receive aggressive SoftWave therapy to address the thickened, adhesed capsule directly — the TRT OrthoGold 100 delivers true electrohydraulic shockwaves that break up adhesions and stimulate capsular tissue remodeling. Stage 3 thawing patients use SoftWave for any residual restriction.

Phase 2 — Joint Mechanics and Alignment Correction. Once capsular inflammation has been addressed, we work on the mechanical drivers — cervical spine alignment, thoracic mobility, scapular positioning. Most frozen shoulder patients have developed compensatory patterns in the neck and upper back that perpetuate dysfunction. Chiropractic careaddresses these systematically. The order matters: aggressive joint work before the capsule has calmed creates compensation patterns that don’t hold.

Phase 3 — Neuromuscular Re-education and Long-Term Function. The shoulder mechanics and movement patterns that surrounded your frozen shoulder didn’t disappear when the capsule healed. ARPwave neuromuscular therapy retrains proper scapular and rotator cuff firing patterns. The Matrix Scanner gait analysis identifies any residual compensation patterns. This phase is what makes the results durable — preventing the residual stiffness and weakness that often persist after frozen shoulder “resolves on its own.”

The Synergy Shoulder Restore Program is the only stage-based, sequenced frozen shoulder protocol in Naperville that integrates regenerative therapy, mechanical correction, and movement re-education into a single coordinated system.

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Who IS and ISN’T a Good Candidate

I’d rather tell you the truth about candidacy upfront than waste your money on treatments that won’t work.

You ARE likely a good candidate if you have classic frozen shoulder symptoms (progressive loss of motion in all directions, especially external rotation), you’re in any of the three stages of adhesive capsulitis, you’ve had cortisone or PT without sustained improvement, you have post-immobilization frozen shoulder following surgery or fracture, you have diabetes-associated frozen shoulder, or you want to compress the typical 1- to 3-year timeline with active treatment.

You are likely NOT a good candidate if what you actually have is a complete rotator cuff tear masquerading as frozen shoulder (different condition, different treatment), severe glenohumeral arthritis with bone-on-bone changes (different condition entirely), recent acute trauma with possible fracture or dislocation, or active shoulder joint infection. Frozen shoulder is a specific clinical diagnosis with specific characteristics — proper differential diagnosis is the first step.

The honest assessment matters. If imaging suggests something other than frozen shoulder is the dominant problem, we’ll tell you and refer accordingly. If you have a refractory case that has failed 12+ months of comprehensive integrative care, we may discuss surgical consultation with a trusted orthopedic surgeon.

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🚨 Emergency Warnings — When Shoulder Symptoms Need Urgent Care

Most frozen shoulder presentations are not urgent — but certain symptoms require immediate evaluation.

🚨 Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you experience: sudden severe shoulder pain accompanied by chest pain, jaw pain, or shortness of breath (possible cardiac event); shoulder pain after significant trauma with visible deformity; complete loss of arm function or sudden severe weakness; numbness or tingling extending down the entire arm; signs of shoulder dislocation; or fever and severe shoulder pain (possible joint infection).

For non-emergent gradual loss of shoulder motion that fits the frozen shoulder pattern — that’s exactly what our integrative stage-based approach was designed for.

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What Patients Typically Notice — Realistic Expectations

Most frozen shoulder patients in our Synergy Shoulder Restore Program notice meaningful change within the first 4 to 6 weeks, though the specifics depend on which stage they arrive in.

Stage 1 freezing patients often report dramatic pain reduction within 2 to 4 weeks of starting MLS laser and acupuncture, with night pain resolving first. Range of motion may not change much in this stage — the goal is calming the inflammatory process, not forcing motion.

Stage 2 frozen patients typically see the most dramatic functional changes. Range of motion improvements often begin around session 4 to 6 of SoftWave therapy, with continued gains over 8 to 16 weeks of sequenced treatment.

Stage 3 thawing patients often experience accelerated recovery — the body is already trying to thaw, and treatment supports that process. Strength and full functional return typically take 6 to 12 weeks from this stage.

We reassess every 4 to 6 visits. If the protocol isn’t working, we adjust. If a referral is appropriate, we make it.

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Pricing Transparency

For comprehensive frozen shoulder evaluation across the entire treatment spectrum, our Pain Relief Special is a free initial consultation to assess your stage, identify your contributing factors, and recommend the appropriate treatment protocol.

For patients specifically interested in starting with SoftWave therapy, our $49 Discovery Session includes a full evaluation, review of your imaging and history, and your first SoftWave treatment.

Most insurance plans cover chiropractic and acupuncture services. SoftWave is generally not covered but is significantly less expensive than surgery and post-surgical recovery time. Call or text (630) 454-1300 for current pricing options, or call our office directly at (630) 355-8022.

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Why Choose Synergy Institute

Dr. Jennifer Wise is a Doctor of Chiropractic and Acupuncturist with 26+ years of clinical experience treating frozen shoulder, the first provider in Naperville to offer SoftWave therapy since August 2021, and one of very few clinicians in the region with both DC and Acupuncturist credentials applied to adhesive capsulitis. We use the authentic TRT OrthoGold 100 SoftWave device, the Cutting Edge MLS M6 laser, electroacupuncture and Stimpod NMS460 tPRF, and stage-based mobilization protocols — every piece coordinated under one roof, by one provider, in one treatment plan. The Synergy Shoulder Restore Program is the only stage-based, integrated frozen shoulder protocol in Naperville.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is the best clinic for non-surgical frozen shoulder treatment in Naperville?

For patients seeking integrative non-surgical frozen shoulder care, Synergy Institute Acupuncture & Chiropractic is the most comprehensive option in Naperville. We are the only clinic in the area that combines SoftWave therapy, MLS laser, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and stage-based mobilization into a single sequenced protocol — the Synergy Shoulder Restore Program. Dr. Jennifer Wise has 26+ years of clinical experience, is the first SoftWave provider in Naperville since August 2021, and holds dual credentials as a Doctor of Chiropractic and Acupuncturist. Located on Illinois Rte 59 near 111th Street.

2. What is the fastest way to cure frozen shoulder?

There is no instant cure for frozen shoulder, but the fastest path to resolution is stage-appropriate combined treatment — addressing the inflammatory and capsular components together with the right interventions for the stage you’re in. Stage 1 freezing requires anti-inflammatory care (MLS laser, acupuncture) without aggressive stretching. Stage 2 frozen requires regenerative interventions (SoftWave therapy, gradual mobilization). Stage 3 thawing requires active range of motion and strengthening. The Synergy Shoulder Restore Program compresses the typical 1- to 3-year timeline by sequencing treatments correctly. Most patients see meaningful improvement within 6 to 12 weeks rather than the natural 12 to 36 month course.

3. Can frozen shoulder go away on its own?

Yes, frozen shoulder will usually resolve on its own — but the timeline is 1 to 3 years, and many patients have residual stiffness and weakness afterward. The “wait it out” advice ignores that stage-appropriate treatment can dramatically compress this timeline and produce better long-term outcomes. Living with severe shoulder pain and disability for 2 to 3 years is not a treatment plan; it’s simply waiting. Active integrative care typically produces meaningful improvement within 6 to 12 weeks and full resolution within 4 to 8 months for most patients.

4. How long does frozen shoulder last?

Untreated frozen shoulder typically lasts 1 to 3 years total, divided across three stages: freezing (6 weeks to 9 months), frozen (4 to 12 months), and thawing (6 months to 2 years). Patients with diabetes, thyroid disease, or post-immobilization origins often experience longer cases. With stage-appropriate active treatment, the timeline is significantly compressed — most patients see meaningful improvement within 6 to 12 weeks and substantial functional restoration within 4 to 8 months. The earlier stage-specific treatment begins, the more the timeline compresses.

5. What’s the difference between frozen shoulder and a rotator cuff tear?

Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) involves the joint capsule itself thickening and contracting, causing global loss of motion in all directions. The hallmark sign is loss of external rotation — even when fully relaxed, another person cannot passively rotate your arm outward. Rotator cuff problems involve specific muscle tendons, typically causing weakness and pain with specific movements (overhead reaching, lifting), but passive range of motion is usually preserved. The two conditions can coexist, which is why proper differential diagnosis matters. Frozen shoulder is often misdiagnosed as rotator cuff problems and vice versa. A complete shoulder evaluation distinguishes them clearly.

6. Can SoftWave therapy help frozen shoulder?

Yes, particularly during the frozen and thawing stages. SoftWave therapy uses true electrohydraulic shockwaves to stimulate cellular healing in the joint capsule, break up adhesions, and accelerate the thawing process. Research supports SoftWave’s effectiveness in adhesive capsulitis, particularly when combined with appropriate mobilization. During the freezing stage, SoftWave is used selectively — overuse during active inflammation can be counterproductive. The Synergy Shoulder Restore Program calibrates SoftWave application based on the stage of frozen shoulder, which is why timing and sequencing matter as much as the treatment itself.

7. Should I get surgery for frozen shoulder?

Surgery — manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) or arthroscopic capsular release — is appropriate for genuinely refractory cases that have failed 12+ months of comprehensive conservative care. The keyword is comprehensive — many patients are pushed toward surgery after only cortisone and basic PT, which is not a complete trial of conservative care. Surgery carries real risks including fracture, dislocation, and rotator cuff tear from MUA, plus the typical surgical risks of capsular release. Recovery from frozen shoulder surgery is 4 to 6 months and not always durable. The vast majority of frozen shoulder patients respond to comprehensive integrative non-surgical care if it’s actually delivered. We refer to trusted orthopedic surgeons when surgery is genuinely indicated.

8. Why is frozen shoulder more common with diabetes and menopause?

Diabetes increases frozen shoulder risk 2 to 4 times because chronically elevated blood glucose produces advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that accumulate in connective tissue, increasing stiffness and reducing healing capacity. Hyperglycemia also drives systemic inflammation. For perimenopausal and menopausal women, the dramatic rise in frozen shoulder incidence reflects the role of estrogen in connective tissue health — declining estrogen levels predispose the capsule to fibrotic change. Thyroid disease adds another layer through its effects on connective tissue metabolism. Patients with these contributing factors often need broader systemic anti-inflammatory support alongside local treatment, which is why our intake includes a complete systemic assessment.

9. Does insurance cover non-surgical frozen shoulder treatment in Naperville?

Coverage varies significantly by plan and treatment type. Chiropractic services are covered by most insurance plans. Acupuncture coverage has expanded significantly — many plans now cover acupuncture for musculoskeletal pain. SoftWave therapy is typically not covered by insurance, similar to most regenerative therapies, but is significantly less expensive than surgery and post-surgical recovery costs. We verify benefits at your initial consultation and offer transparent payment plans for non-covered services. HSA and FSA funds can be used for most treatments.

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Ready for an Honest Evaluation?

If you’ve been managing frozen shoulder symptoms for weeks or months — and standard care hasn’t moved the needle — there’s a reason. Generic shoulder treatment fails for frozen shoulder because it doesn’t account for stage. Cortisone and basic PT during the wrong stage can make it worse. The Synergy Shoulder Restore Program identifies which stage you’re in, addresses the inflammatory and capsular components together, and compresses the typical timeline.

Synergy Institute Acupuncture & Chiropractic is a frozen shoulder treatment clinic located in Naperville, Illinois at 4931 Illinois Rte 59, Suite 121, near the 111th Street intersection. We serve patients throughout Naperville, Aurora, Plainfield, Bolingbrook, and Oswego.

Schedule your free Pain Relief Special consultation today. Call or text (630) 454-1300, or call our office directly at (630) 355-8022.

For more on related shoulder treatments, see our Acupuncture for Shoulder Pain article, our Best Treatments for Shoulder Pain hub, and our Shoulder Pain condition page.

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References

1. Le HV, Lee SJ, Nazarian A, Rodriguez EK. Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder: review of pathophysiology and current clinical treatments. Shoulder & Elbow, 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28932293/
2. Cho CH, Bae KC, Kim DH. Treatment Strategy for Frozen Shoulder. Clinics in Orthopedic Surgery, 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31508184/
3. Kim YS, Lee HJ, Kim JH, Noh DY. Are Radial Extracorporeal Shock Waves Effective for Treatment of Frozen Shoulder? A Randomized Clinical Trial. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 2017.
4. Buchbinder R, Green S, Youd JM, Johnston RV. Oral steroids for adhesive capsulitis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2006.
5. Dyer BP, Burton C, Rathod-Mistry T, et al. Diabetes as a risk factor for the onset of frozen shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open, 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36572493/
6. Schiefer M, Teixeira PFS, Fontenelle C, et al. Prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients with frozen shoulder.Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 2017.
7. Vermeulen HM, Rozing PM, Obermann WR, et al. Comparison of high-grade and low-grade mobilization techniques in the management of adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder. Physical Therapy, 2006.
8. Page MJ, Green S, Kramer S, et al. Manual therapy and exercise for adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder).Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014.
9. Wang W, Shi M, Zhou C, et al. Effectiveness of corticosteroid injections in adhesive capsulitis of shoulder: A meta-analysis. Medicine, 2017.
10. Saltychev M, Laimi K, Virolainen P, Fredericson M. Effectiveness of hydrodilatation in adhesive capsulitis of shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Surgery, 2018.
11. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Frozen Shoulder. OrthoInfo, 2024. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/

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Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Individual results from any therapy vary based on condition severity, health history, and other clinical factors. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any new treatment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.

Reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Wise, DC, Acupuncturist — May 2026

Dr. Jennifer Wise is a Doctor of Chiropractic (Palmer College graduate) and Acupuncturist with over 26 years of clinical experience. She is the founder of Synergy Institute Acupuncture & Chiropractic in Naperville, IL, specializing in integrative pain relief combining chiropractic care, acupuncture, spinal decompression, SoftWave therapy, and MLS laser. Call or text (630) 454-1300 to schedule your appointment.