Often called a stiff or "frozen shoulder," adhesive capsulitis is the stiffening of the shoulder due to scar tissue, which results in painful movement and loss of motion. Some believe it is caused by inflammation, such as when the lining of a joint becomes inflamed (synovitis), and some believe it is caused by autoimmune reactions, where the body launches an "attack" against its own substances and tissues. Other possible causes include reactions after an injury or surgery, pain from other conditions-such as arthritis, a rotator cuff tear, bursitis, or tendinitis-that has caused you to stop moving your shoulder, or, immobilization of your arm, such as in a sling, after surgery or fracture. The good news is that physical therapy can help and this is a something we treat successfully on a regular basis at Blue Hills Sports & Spine Rehabilitation. To learn more about frozen shoulder, click the image above. For some simple range of motion exercises you can try if you have a stiff shoulder, click here. If you think you may have frozen shoulder, get in and see one of our experts as soon as you can!