The Stiff Shoulder Workshop

Make sense of the painful, stiff shoulder.

A practical workshop for clinicians working through frozen shoulder, glenohumeral osteoarthritis and other presentations where pain, stiffness and uncertainty overlap.

Discuss this workshop

Who it is for

Built for clinicians who want more than another list of tests.

Physiotherapists and allied health clinicians who regularly see painful, restricted shoulders.

Newer clinicians who want a clearer assessment and management framework.

Experienced teams looking to challenge rigid timelines, labels and one-size-fits-all protocols.

Clinics wanting a shared approach to education, referral and progression.

What the session can cover

A practical framework, not a crowded slide deck.

The final depth and balance are adjusted to the audience, setting and time available.

Recognise the pattern

Start with the history, symptom behaviour and movement pattern rather than forcing the presentation into a label too early.

Frozen shoulder patterns
Osteoarthritis and other causes
Irritability and stage
Important alternatives

Assess what changes the plan

Choose examination findings that help with reasoning, communication and the next management decision.

Active and passive movement
Strength and functional tasks
Pain and health context
When imaging may help

Build a tolerable plan

Match education, movement and exercise to the person in front of you rather than chasing range at any cost.

Activity and symptom guidance
Stage-aware exercise
Progressing load and movement
Sleep and everyday function

Know when to involve others

Place physiotherapy inside the wider care pathway and discuss options without promising certainty that is not there.

GP and specialist referral
Medication and injections
Surgical considerations
Shared decisions

After the session

Participants should leave knowing what to do differently.

01
Recognise common stiff shoulder patterns while keeping important alternatives in view.
02
Explain imaging and diagnosis without using threatening or overly certain language.
03
Adjust movement and exercise to irritability, function and the person’s goals.
04
Communicate when review, referral or another management option may be appropriate.

Flexible delivery

Shape the format around the group.

Clinic professional developmentHalf-day practical workshopFull-day workshopConference or university session

Timing, practical components, equipment needs and final inclusions are agreed before the session. No dates or prices are published until a specific event is confirmed.

Bring this to your team

Tell me about the clinicians in the room.

Share the audience, location, experience level, preferred timing and the problems you want the workshop to address. We can shape the right session from there.

Start a workshop enquiry