How to use a muscle massage gun for frozen shoulder

Estimated read time 4 minutes. 

It’s easy to dismiss frozen shoulder as being nothing more than a little stiffness, but it can be seriously debilitating. You don’t realise just how much you rely on your shoulders until you suffer from a condition like frozen shoulder; even the simplest of tasks, like putting on your shoes or opening the curtains, can be agony.

Fortunately, muscle gun devices, like our own MuscleGun Carbon massage gun , are great at treating frozen shoulder symptoms and helping you get back to full fitness.  

What is frozen shoulder?

Also known as adhesive capsulitis, frozen shoulder is caused by the tissue around your shoulder joint becoming inflamed. When these tissues shrink and get tighter, they not only cause you pain but lead to a massively reduced range of motion.

Frozen shoulder typically affects people aged thirty and upwards, and women are more prone than men to suffer. The condition can be triggered by many things, such as previous injury or surgery to the shoulder area or even diabetes.

Frozen shoulder treatments

Frozen shoulder symptoms are no joke, and they can get worse over time if not treated.

In fact, even with treatment, it can take up to a year or more for the problem to be resolved.

There are a few different treatments for frozen shoulder, but the first step should be a chat with your doctor. If you’re in severe pain, they may prescribe painkillers or even steroid injections to deal with the discomfort and swelling – but this will only be a short-term solution.

Once the swelling goes down and the pain eases, it’s essential that you work to get the movement back in your shoulder. It’s here where a muscle massage could be invaluable.

Your doctor may also recommend a trip to a physiotherapist, who can set you a programme of frozen shoulder exercises to follow. If you’re a keen gym goer or do a sport or activity that requires a lot of shoulder work, it’s important to lay off working that area while your body heals.

Deep tissue massage for frozen shoulder

It can take a while for frozen shoulder to get better, but the process can be sped up and made less painful, with the help of frozen shoulder massage treatment.

The type of percussive massage that a massage gun delivers is every bit as effective as that you would get from a massage therapist. But it offers the added benefit of giving you the freedom to treat yourself anytime, anywhere.

Using a massage gun for frozen shoulder

There are three very distinct phases to frozen shoulder, and a massage gun can help with each.

Initially, there’s the Freezing Stage. You’ll start by feeling shoulder pain and seeing a drop in the range of motion in the shoulder. At this stage, the use of a muscle gun will reduce the pain you experience.

Once you’ve chosen the right head attachment for your muscle gun, gently float the device across the shoulder, gradually applying more pressure to the areas which are particularly tight or sore. With regular use, you’ll soon find your frozen shoulder massage trigger points, so you can focus in on these each time.

The Frozen Stage comes next, and this can last for up to a year. Again, a massage from a muscle gun will ease the pain – which can become quite severe – and the tension you may start to feel in your upper arm.

Finally, there’s the Thawing Stage. By now, the pain will be minimal so the focus will be on improving the range of motion. Using a massage gun to give yourself a deep tissue massage for frozen shoulder will warm the muscles and stimulate blood circulation to your shoulder joint and tissues. This will also increase the effectiveness of any frozen shoulder exercises and stretches that are part of your recovery plan.

Check with your doctor first

Be sure to talk to your doctor before using a massage gun on a frozen shoulder. While they are proven to be great at treating frozen shoulder symptoms, it’s best to get the go ahead from a medical expert first.

Read next: Using a massage gun for muscle recovery