Frozen Shoulder & Menopause

Here’s a fun little menopause plot twist: that nagging shoulder pain might not be you “sleeping funny” — it could be your dropping estrogen having a go again.

Researchers have been investigating frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), which has been labelled “idiopathic” for almost a century — meaning “no idea why this happens.” Except… it mostly hits women aged 40–60, often with no major injury. Yep. Menopause-age women. Convenient.

A study involving nearly 2,000 participants found that women not receiving hormone therapy had greater odds of developing adhesive capsulitis. The theory? Estrogen plays a key role in musculoskeletal function - it stimulates new bone formation, promotes muscle growth and repair, maintains connective tissue integrity, and reduces inflammation. When menopause hits, and estrogen drops, all of that goes out the window.

Frozen shoulder often begins with sudden pain and limited movement, making everyday activities challenging. If you catch it early, steroid injections can sometimes help shorten the discomfort. However, preventing it has long been a bit of a mystery—until now.

This is the first study looking at whether HRT might be protective, and the early results suggest it could help. More research is needed — but it’s an interesting “hmm” moment, especially since one researcher (a female orthopaedic surgeon) basically said it’s too common in women to be truly random.

Note: For more about Frozen Shoulder watch the YouTube video from Dr Mary Claire Haver.

A friendly reminder: I'm sharing what I've learned, not prescribing what you should do. Always chat with your GP about what's right for your unique situation!

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