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Perimenopause and Frozen Shoulder: What Women Should Know
Frozen shoulder makes the shoulder hurt and become harder to move.
It happens when the tissue around the shoulder joint gets inflamed and tight.
It can affect people during the same years many women go through perimenopause.
Hormone changes might play a part, but doctors do not know that they directly cause frozen shoulder.
Other health problems, such as diabetes and thyroid disorders, can raise the risk.
Shoulder pain can also come from other conditions, so it is important not to guess at the cause.
Gentle movement and regular activity may help support shoulder mobility.
See a doctor if stiffness or pain lasts for weeks, gets worse, or makes everyday activities difficult.
Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, causes progressive pain and stiffness as the shoulder capsule tightens.
It is common between ages 40 and 70, overlapping with the years many women experience perimenopause and menopause.
Changing oestrogen levels may affect musculoskeletal tissues, but evidence that they specifically cause frozen shoulder remains limited.
Diabetes, thyroid disorders, prior shoulder injury or surgery, and prolonged inactivity are also associated with higher risk.
Seek medical advice for pain or stiffness lasting several weeks, disrupting sleep or daily tasks, or gradually reducing movement.
- Who
- Women in perimenopause may experience shoulder pain or frozen shoulder; the condition can affect people aged 40 to 70.
- What
- Doctors describe a possible but unproven link between perimenopause and frozen shoulder, and explain risk factors and when to seek care.
- Where
- The shoulder joint.
- When
- Frozen shoulder is particularly common between ages 40 and 70; medical advice is recommended if pain or stiffness continues for several weeks or worsens.
- Why
- The exact cause is often unclear; hormonal changes may be one factor, while diabetes, thyroid disorders, injury, surgery, and inactivity are also associated with risk.
Possible Hormonal Link
Evidence and Caution
Does perimenopause cause frozen shoulder?
Possible Hormonal Link
Changing or declining oestrogen may affect inflammation and soft tissues, and frozen shoulder is common during ages that overlap with perimenopause.
Evidence and Caution
The evidence for a specific hormonal cause is limited. One study found no significant difference in adhesive capsulitis prevalence between perimenopausal and premenopausal women, and other shoulder conditions can cause pain.
Can hormone therapy prevent or treat it?
Possible Hormonal Link
A pilot study found fewer cases among postmenopausal women using hormone therapy.
Evidence and Caution
The difference was not statistically significant, and larger studies are needed. Hormone therapy should not be aimed specifically at treating frozen shoulder.
Key facts
- Medical name
- Adhesive capsulitis
- Typical age range
- 40 to 70
- Common features
- Progressive shoulder pain and stiffness that can restrict movement
- Possible hormonal factor
- Changing or declining oestrogen levels; a specific causal link has not been established
- Other associated risk factors
- Diabetes, thyroid disorders, previous shoulder injury or surgery, and prolonged restriction of movement
- When to seek care
- If pain or stiffness lasts several weeks, affects sleep or daily routine, or range of motion gradually decreases
- Hormone therapy
- Should not be used specifically to treat frozen shoulder; evidence of a protective effect remains insufficient
Quotes
Dr Archana Dhawan Bajaj
Founder and Director of The Nurture IVF Centre and a gynaecologist.
“If pain or stiffness continues for several weeks, affects sleep and daily routine or range of motion is decreasing gradually, it is advised to consult a physician instead of waiting till it goes away.”
firstpost.com
“Perimenopause is a time when women go through important hormonal changes, and the effects of perimenopause on the musculoskeletal system are increasingly being recognised.”
firstpost.com
Sources
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