I had an ache in my shoulder and it got so bad I couldn’t even raise my arm. I was diagnosed with this little-known condition… and this was the surprising cause
Emma Mapp, a 52-year-old lawyer from Twickenham, developed a dull ache in her shoulder that within a month left her unable to raise her arm or turn her neck. She was eventually diagnosed with frozen shoulder, a painful stiffening of the shoulder joint, which her physiotherapist linked not to an injury but to the menopause — highlighting a lesser-known symptom that can significantly disrupt daily life and even social activities.
Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, affects around a million people in the UK each year and occurs when the tissue capsule around the shoulder joint becomes inflamed and thickens, restricting movement. Experts say women aged 40 to 60 are most at risk, and a Duke University study of 1,952 women found those not taking HRT were 99 per cent more likely to develop the condition than those who were, since falling oestrogen levels can stiffen connective tissue and trigger inflammation in the joint.
- Woman's frozen shoulder was linked to menopause, not injury
- Falling oestrogen levels can stiffen joints and cause inflammation
- Women without HRT are 99% more likely to develop frozen shoulder
New here? Start with this
Frozen shoulder is a condition in which the tissue around the shoulder joint becomes inflamed and thickened, making the shoulder painful and difficult to move. It can develop without a clear injury and may interfere with everyday tasks such as dressing or reaching.
The condition is most common in people aged 40 to 60, particularly women. The menopause involves changes in hormone levels, including a fall in oestrogen, which may affect connective tissue; researchers have also found an association between hormone replacement therapy and lower rates of frozen shoulder, though this does not establish that HRT prevents it.