08/19/2026
Answer & Clinical Breakdown! ๐ง ๐ก
Thank you to everyone who dropped their answers in the comments yesterday! Letโs break down the clinical reasoning behind our Shoulder Assessment Challenge:
The correct answer is B) FrozenPhase!
Here is why:
Severe Pain & Onset: The freezing (painful) phase typically lasts from 2 to 9 months. It is characterized by a gradual onset of diffuse, severe shoulder pain that is often worse at night.
Loss of Range of Motion: As capsule inflammation progresses, both active and passive range of motion begin to significantly decrease, particularly in external rotation and internal rotation.
The Transition: While stiffness is severe in the Frozen Phase (Phase 2), the pain usually begins to plateau or lessen into a dull ache during that time, with mobility hitting a plateau. Because this client is only 3 months in with significant pain alongside developing restriction, they are in the active Freezing Phase.
Understanding exact phase presentation helps tailor your manual therapy protocolsโfrom managing acute pain in Stage 1 to aggressively restoring mobility in Stage 2 and 3!
Want to master clinical assessment and treatment protocols for complex shoulder conditions?
๐ Join us for the TAP Method Masterclass: Adhesive Capsulitis Treatment Specialist!
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Dates: September 12 & 13
๐ Location: Saskatoon, SK
๐ Register today at cnclh.com
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