When I turned 50, I noticed something in conversations with friends. The same complaint kept coming up: shoulder pain. A stiff shoulder that wouldn't settle. Trouble lifting an arm to reach a shelf. And, said quietly and almost with embarrassment, difficulty fastening a bra.
Then it happened to me.
That's when I remembered my older cousin. Years ago she complained about her shoulder and eventually started going to a physiotherapist. At the time, none of us thought much of it. We put it down to age, or to "one of those things."
In short: Frozen shoulder is more than a sore shoulder, and it is diagnosed most often in women between 40 and 60 — the same years as perimenopause and early menopause. Research has not proven that menopause causes it, but more than half of perimenopausal women report muscle or joint pain. If reaching behind your back is uncomfortable, a front-open bra is one practical dressing option. This is a clothing choice, not a treatment.
What I Found When I Started Reading
Like most things in my life, I started researching. I'm a founder who makes innerwear, not a doctor, so I went to the published studies.
The first thing I learned was what frozen shoulder actually is. Frozen shoulder, medically called adhesive capsulitis, involves inflammation followed by thickening, scarring and tightening of the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint. This causes pain and progressively restricted movement—not simply a sore shoulder. It is more common in women, particularly between ages 40 and 60, which overlaps substantially with perimenopause and early postmenopause.
I want to be careful here: That overlap does not mean menopause causes frozen shoulder, or that every woman will experience it. Age, diabetes, thyroid conditions, past injury and long periods of immobility can all play a part.
Still, the more I read, the clearer it became that what I was hearing from friends was common.
What The Studies Say
Here are the studies I found most useful, in one place. Note that the first two are about muscle and joint pain generally — not frozen shoulder specifically.
| Study | Who was studied | Key finding | What it does not show |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Kruse et al., 2026, JBJS Open Access |
37 studies, 93,021 women across 22 countries | Muscle or joint pain reported by 40% of premenopausal, 57% of perimenopausal and 59% of postmenopausal women | Pain anywhere in the body, not specifically frozen shoulder; observational studies cannot prove cause |
|
Lu et al., 2020, Neural Plasticity |
16 studies of perimenopausal women | About 71% of perimenopausal women experienced musculoskeletal pain (95% CI 64%–78%) | A different estimate from a different set of studies; also not shoulder-specific |
|
Reinke, Ford, Wittstein et al., 2026, Climacteric |
1,952 postmenopausal women aged 40–60 | Frozen shoulder in 3.95% of women using hormone therapy vs 7.65% of those not using it — a difference that was not statistically significant | Too small a pilot to conclude that hormone therapy protects against frozen shoulder |
|
Wittstein et al., 2026 survey, Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine |
13,946 postmenopausal women aged 45–65 | 15% reported ever being diagnosed with frozen shoulder; it was reported by 3.8% of women after starting menopausal hormone therapy vs 25.0% of those not on it | A self-reported survey recruited through social media — an association, not proof of cause or prevention |
|
UCSF clinical trial NCT07278323 |
60 peri- and postmenopausal women with frozen shoulder (planned) |
Comparing standard care with standard care plus hormone therapy |
Ongoing; no results published yet |
More than half of women in perimenopause report muscle or joint pain. A 2026 systematic review of 37 studies covering 93,021 women in 22 countries estimated that muscle or joint pain affected about 40% of premenopausal women, 57% of perimenopausal women and 59% of postmenopausal women. These figures cover pain anywhere in the body, not just the shoulder. (Kruse et al., JBJS Open Access, 2026)
An earlier review found the same pattern. A 2020 meta-analysis estimated that about 71% of perimenopausal women experienced musculoskeletal pain (95% confidence interval 64%–78%). The two reviews give different numbers because they included different studies, but both say the same thing: this is common. (Lu et al., Neural Plasticity, 2020)
Researchers are looking at hormones and frozen shoulder, but there's no clear answer yet. A 2026 medical-record study of 1,952 postmenopausal women aged 40–60 found frozen shoulder in 3.95% of women using hormone therapy and 7.65% of those not using it. The difference was not statistically significant (odds ratio 1.99, 95% CI 0.86–4.58, p = 0.10), and the authors called for larger studies. (Reinke, Ford, Wittstein et al., Climacteric, January 2026)
A larger 2026 survey of 13,946 postmenopausal women aged 45–65 found that 15% reported having been diagnosed with frozen shoulder at some point. It was a self-reported survey, with respondents recruited through menopause specialists' social media, so it can't be read as a population figure. (Wittstein et al., Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2026)
A clinical trial is underway. A randomised trial at the University of California, San Francisco plans to enrol 60 peri- and postmenopausal women with frozen shoulder. It compares standard care (physiotherapy plus a steroid injection) with standard care plus hormone therapy. Results are not yet published. (UCSF trial NCT07278323)
What This Meant For Me
For years I had a fixed picture of who needs help getting dressed. In my mind, adaptive clothing was for a 94-year-old customer with limited mobility. I was wrong. This is something women in their forties and fifties are going through right now, often without talking about it, and often assuming it's only happening to them.
If this is you: you're not alone.
I hope there will be much more research on this stage of women's lives, and on gentle, natural ways of supporting our bodies through it. Women deserve better answers than "it's just age."
Where Adira Comes In
This is the part I can speak to with confidence: design.
A standard bra asks you to reach behind your back, rotate your shoulders and fasten a small hook by feel. On a day when your shoulder is stiff or painful, that small movement can be the hardest part of getting dressed.
Adira front-open bras fasten at the front. There's no back clasp to reach for. You can see what you're doing, and you don't have to twist your arms behind you.
They won't treat frozen shoulder or reduce inflammation, and I'd never claim they do. They're a different way to get dressed, made for days when reaching behind is uncomfortable. Some women will prefer it and some won't. The choice should be yours.
If your shoulder pain or stiffness doesn't go away, please see a doctor or physiotherapist. My cousin did, and I'm glad she did.
Common questions
1. Does menopause cause frozen shoulder?
Researchers are studying a possible link, because frozen shoulder is most often diagnosed in women aged 40–60, the same years as perimenopause and early menopause. But an overlap in age is not proof of cause, and not every painful shoulder is frozen shoulder. No study has established that menopause causes it.
2. How common is muscle and joint pain in perimenopause?
In a 2026 review of 37 studies covering 93,021 women, 57% of perimenopausal women reported muscle or joint pain, compared with 40% of premenopausal women. This covers pain anywhere in the body, not just shoulders.
3. Can a front-open bra help with frozen shoulder?
It cannot treat frozen shoulder or affect the condition itself. What it changes is one specific task: the bra fastens at the front, so there is no back clasp to reach for. For some women, on some days, that makes dressing easier.
4. When should I see a doctor about shoulder pain?
If shoulder pain or stiffness persists, limits your movement, or makes daily tasks difficult, see a doctor or physiotherapist. Frozen shoulder is a diagnosed medical condition, and it deserves proper assessment — including checks for diabetes and thyroid problems, which are known risk factors.
With care,
Deepa
Founder, Adira
Note: A front-open bra is a clothing choice, not a medical treatment. The studies cited here did not test Adira products. This article is for information only and is not a substitute for advice from a qualified healthcare provider.
Deepa Vari
Founder & CEO Of Adira
Through Adira, Deepa Vari creates innovative innerwear solutions for girls and women, from puberty to menopause, including specialised mastectomy bras.
Inspired by everyday challenges, her innovations include period panties patented in India and the USA, starter bras and camisoles, leak-proof nursing bras, maternity hygiene panties and incontinence underwear.
Comfort, confidence and thoughtful design are central to her approach.
