Frozen shoulder — medically known as adhesive capsulitis — affects an estimated 2–5% of the general population and is significantly more common among individuals with diabetes. Despite its prevalence, experts warn that early symptoms are often subtle and easily overlooked. Many patients assume shoulder pain requires a fall, injury or heavy exercise to be taken seriously, but specialists emphasise that this is incorrect. The condition frequently develops quietly in everyday environments, especially among desk-bound workers whose routines restrict shoulder movement for long hours.
A mid-30s Chennai-based IT professional experienced this pattern in a way orthopaedic experts say is becoming increasingly typical. His workdays — 10 to 12 hours at a laptop, gradually led to night pain and mild difficulty lifting his arm. He ignored these early signs for nearly two months. By the time he sought medical attention, “the shoulder was already in the frozen stage,” recounts Kalaivanan Kanniyan, senior consultant orthopaedic surgeon, SIMS Hospital, Chennai. Though he eventually recovered with physiotherapy and ergonomic corrections, the process took several months. According to Dr. Kalaivanan, this underscores why unexplained shoulder pain needs timely evaluation: early intervention could have prevented progression.
Non- injury causes
Experts widely note that the public often associates frozen shoulder with a major injury, but this assumption delays care. “Honestly, many people get frozen shoulder without any big trigger,” says Dr. Kalaivanan. Limited arm movement in daily life can slowly inflame and tighten the shoulder capsule. Even mild pain, if it leads to avoiding movement can accelerate stiffness.
Chetan Shashikant Pophale, senior consultant, spine surgeon, Apollo Speciality Hospitals, OMR, Chennai, adds that in a large share of cases the problem starts simply because the shoulder is not taken through its full range for long periods. “Even slight posture-related strain, diabetes, thyroid problems or extended stress can lead to capsular tightening without any injury or workout,” he explains.
People with diabetes, hypothyroidism or a cardiac history remain at significantly higher risk because “their tissues tend to stiffen faster,” notes J. Panthala Rajakumaran, senior consultant orthopaedic surgeon, VS Hospitals, Chennai. In such groups, even short spells of reduced movement can trigger the process.
Early signs
Frozen shoulder rarely begins with dramatic symptoms. Early signs often resemble ordinary tiredness or mild work strain, causing people to dismiss them. According to Dr. Kalaivanan, early indications include slight tightness when lifting the arm overhead, difficulty reaching behind the back or a persistent feeling of heaviness.
Dr. Pophale notes that desk workers consistently present with a similar set of early clues — pain when reaching behind the back, difficulty lifting the arm fully overhead, night-time discomfort especially when lying on the affected side, and a dull tightness that builds up after prolonged hours of laptop or mouse use.
Because these symptoms might not always disrupt function initially, they are often ignored. But, as Dr. Rajakumaran points out, “ignoring early discomfort allows the capsule to tighten further,” eventually progressing to full-blown frozen shoulder.
Stiffness vs freezing
A critical distinction lies in how the shoulder responds to movement. Simple stiffness usually improves with stretching, heat or gentle exercise. Frozen shoulder does not. “The range of motion reduces in all directions, and even if you try hard, the arm just won’t go up,” says Dr. Kalaivanan. Night pain is also a common feature.
Dr. Pophale emphasises that the key diagnostic sign is passive movement. “With simple stiffness, the shoulder loosens once you start moving. With frozen shoulder, even if the doctor lifts your arm for you, the movement stops early both active and passive ranges are restricted.”
Management and therapy
For individuals whose symptoms arise from long hours at a desk, practical habit changes can significantly prevent progression. Dr. Kalaivanan highlights posture correction, laptop elevation and shoulder mobility breaks as foundational. Physiotherapy, he says, “is the main treatment because the shoulder needs guided mobilisation.”
Dr. Pophale adds that in desk-related cases, correcting daily habits is as important as the exercises themselves. He recommends taking posture breaks every 45 minutes, applying heat to the shoulder before stretching, practising cross-body and external-rotation stretches along with wall-slide exercises, and ensuring an ergonomic workstation with proper arm support. For patients whose pain limits movement, NSAIDs or, in severe cases, a steroid injection may help expedite recovery.
“Most patients improve once posture and movement patterns change,” he explains.
Recovery
Desk-related frozen shoulder tends to respond faster because there is no underlying structural damage. According to Dr. Pophale, many patients regain good movement within 8–12 weeks with consistent physiotherapy, whereas post-injury cases usually take longer.
He recounts the case of a 40-year-old software engineer who developed frozen shoulder purely from prolonged laptop use with the arm slightly elevated. With workstation correction, a single steroid injection and 6–8 weeks of guided physiotherapy, the patient regained near-normal range of motion, also highlighting how quickly desk-related cases can improve when recognised early.
Published – December 03, 2025 05:29 pm IST
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