As a therapist who frequently works on rehabilitating upper extremities, two of the most painful and frustrating presentations are fractured shoulders and frozen shoulders. These come with movement limitations that can take a patient weeks, months, or even years to recover, often resulting in residual restrictions in shoulder external rotation.
Frozen shoulder—also known as adhesive capsulitis—is an inflammatory condition that can start with a gradually progressive stiffness and lead to a significant restriction of range of motion. As capsulitis advances, shoulder flexion, external rotation, and abduction can all be severely affected.
