The Fitness Pilates Blog

Frozen Shoulder, Women Over 50 and Menopause: What’s the Connection?

Welcome to this week’s Fitness Pilates newsletter.

The 1st of June is almost here, and I’ve just returned from a fantastic week teaching in Playitas. I’m feeling refreshed, inspired and ready for another busy week of classes, courses and workshops…… here goes!

Today, I wanted to talk about a condition that affects many women in midlife but often doesn’t get the attention it deserves – frozen shoulder.

Have you ever experienced a frozen shoulder?

Frozen Shoulder, Women Over 50 and Menopause: What’s the Connection?

Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions affecting women in midlife, yet many women are never told there may be a connection with menopause.

If you’ve suddenly developed shoulder pain, stiffness, difficulty reaching overhead, fastening your bra, putting on a coat or sleeping comfortably, you’re not alone.

Frozen shoulder is particularly common in women between the ages of 45 and 65 and research is increasingly exploring the role that hormonal changes may play.

What Is Frozen Shoulder?

Frozen shoulder occurs when the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, thickened and tight.

This causes:

Pain
Stiffness
Reduced range of motion
Difficulty performing everyday activities

The shoulder can become so restricted that even simple tasks such as reaching into a cupboard, washing your hair or fastening a seatbelt become challenging.

Why Are Women Over 50 More Likely To Develop Frozen Shoulder?

While frozen shoulder can affect anyone, women are affected far more frequently than men, particularly during the menopausal years.

One of the main reasons may be the decline in oestrogen.

Oestrogen plays an important role in maintaining:

Connective tissue health
Collagen production
Tendon function
Joint lubrication
Muscle recovery
Inflammation control

As oestrogen levels fall during perimenopause and menopause, changes occur throughout the musculoskeletal system.

Many women notice:

Increased joint aches and pains
Morning stiffness
Reduced flexibility
Slower recovery after exercise
Tendon issues
Shoulder, hip and knee discomfort

Researchers now believe these hormonal changes may contribute to the development of frozen shoulder in some women.

The Menopause and Collagen Connection

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and provides strength and elasticity to our connective tissues.

During the first five years after menopause, women can lose up to 30% of their collagen.

This decline may affect:

Tendons
Ligaments
Fascia
Joint capsules
Skin
Muscle quality

The shoulder capsule may become more vulnerable to inflammation, thickening and stiffness, increasing the likelihood of frozen shoulder developing.

Other Risk Factors

Women may be at higher risk if they also have:

Diabetes
Thyroid conditions
Previous shoulder injury
Autoimmune conditions
Long periods of immobilisation
High levels of stress and inflammation

Signs and Symptoms

Common symptoms include:

Shoulder pain, especially at night
Difficulty sleeping on the affected side
Loss of shoulder mobility
Difficulty reaching overhead
Problems reaching behind the back
Pain when dressing
Difficulty lifting weights overhead

Fitness Pilates Exercises That Can Help

The goal is to keep the shoulder moving without forcing movement into pain.

Helpful exercises include:

Shoulder rolls
Scapular retractions
Wall finger walks
Cat Cow
Thread The Needle
Thoracic rotation
Mermaid stretch
Gentle band external rotations
Postural strengthening exercises

Fitness Pilates can be particularly beneficial because it focuses on mobility, posture, breathing, alignment and progressive strengthening.

Exercises To Avoid

During the painful stages of frozen shoulder, avoid:

Heavy overhead presses
Aggressive stretching
Fast repetitive overhead movements
Heavy lateral raises
High-intensity upper body workouts that increase pain
Forcing the arm beyond its comfortable range

A good rule is that movement should feel gentle and therapeutic, not painful.

Movement is medicine, but with frozen shoulder, gentle and consistent movement is far more effective than pushing through pain.

We are launching our Reformer For Orthopaedic conditions on the 11th as we see in Mat & Reformer such a wide variety of common health issues so its important to work within scope and help our clients manage safely various conditions

I hope you find these newsletters helpful and feel free to use in yuor own newsletters and communications.

Please WhatsApp me on 07976 268672 or leave your feedback in the Fitness Pilates Facebook Group.

Rachel Holmes

CHOREOGRAPHY Newsletter – I have been adding lots of mini ball flows, shoulder bridge variations and mini workshops to my Choreography newsletter its a free resource for fit pros sign up here