Reclaim Your Energy Through Movement: What My Frozen Shoulder Taught Me About Grace, Compassion, and Consistency

Nature and sunlight symbolizing energy and renewal.

Welcome to the second week of a 10-week long, year-end reset! Last week, I put out an invitation to set our intention for the last 10 weeks of 2025. If you missed it you can find it here: Your 10-week Reset: How to Finish 2025 with Strength and Intention. A I was writing it, I myself was thinking of my intention. My intention statement is: I intend to support my body with what it needs with gentle movements and nourishment. Lately, I have not been feeling as well as I usually do. A few of my major joints have decommissioned themselves! If you're an avid reader of my blog (hello, Mom, Dr. Lydia Depra-Ramos!) you would know about my perimenopause journey, particularly my right frozen shoulder!

The three stages of frozen shoulder: freezing, frozen, thawing

It is much better now, it self-resolved itself as they are known to do. I have a high tolerance for pain and so I did not even have a corticosteroid injection and I just let it run its course. I did home physical therapy through Sword Health which is an AI powered physical therapy right in your own home and I'm fortunate enough to have my employer provide this benefit. However, sometime in the summer, my left shoulder also decided join the Frozen club. It is in the first stage. Since we're discussing it I might as well break it down.

Stages of Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive capsulitis)

As related to menopause, frozen shoulder usually affects women in their 40's or 50's. There are estrogen receptors in the connective tissues of our joints. As estrogen level wanes, it can also affect the strength, flexibility and function of our joints. Estrogen also has known anti-inflammatory properties, and lack thereof can then cause pain. Lack of estrogen also decreases muscle tone and strength and opens up the opportunity for injuries. Yes, for things you did so easily before, now can cause annoying, sometimes debilitating pain that can set you back.

1. Freezing Stage - maybe you lifted wrong. or reached for something at the back of your car. These simple motion that didn't bother you before can irritate the joint and send it into a freeze. This can last 2-9 months. This is the most painful stage. Where a simple upward reach, or a jarring movement like a skip or a misstep can cause a shooting pain to your joint. It only lasts a few seconds but it is excruciating. I remember the most intense pain that I felt was at Changi airport in Singapore. I was walking from the famed fountain after the hourly show and there was a step that I missed - it was only like a 2 or 3 inch drop but it caused so much pain that I felt like passing out. Yes the pain is pretty memorable! It has become a core memory!

2. The Frozen Stage - after a painful freezing stage, you might actually wish for the frozen stage to come. However it is no fun either. This is when you'll have more stiffness, the range of motion becomes very limited and movement becomes more difficult. You are not going to want to move it at all, but at this stage it is important to continue to do physical therapy or some form of range of motion shoulder exercises to maintain function. Joint injection with steroid might help to allow for more intensive or aggressive physical therapy.

3. The Thawing Stage - (5-24 months) overtime because you have had to live with it for more than 1 year that you almost don't notice it anymore. Fine, yes you still do notice it, but you've learned to use your joint to adapt to your lifestyle. I managed to modify my yoga poses, resume lifting weights, hold the mouse a certain way, no longer reaching towards the backseat of my car. Instead, I get out and open the back passenger door. So mature of me! After some time you'll notice that you've regained back some range of motion. And you say a silent prayer of gratitude each time you remember.

And then you wait for the other shoulder to get frozen. Yes, so I'm in the first stage on the left shoulder now. But now I know what to expect and I know what's coming. On top of that, I injured my left knee doing my HIIT (high intensity interval training) one day, and it is taking its time to heal. I am also dealing with a right elbow tendonitis. Further evidence that this menopausal transition has affected my joints in a big way.

I did not mean for this blog to be a litany of my joint complaints. But here we are.. Anyway, to pivot!

From Pain to Purposeful Movement

So, what does all this have to do with our 10-Week Reset? Everything!

Consistent daily movement and walking as part of an intentional routine

When your body starts sending signals—through pain, fatigue, or stiffness—it’s easy to want to stop moving altogether. But movement, done intentionally and consistently, is often what helps us heal, strengthen, and reclaim our energy.

This week’s pivot is about moving with intention. Maybe we skip the intensity for now. Maybe we learn to listen to our body, honor its limits, and still choose to move.

And here’s the interesting part—research from the National Weight Control Registry found that people who exercised at a consistent time of day, regardless of the hour, maintained higher levels of activity and stronger exercise habits over time. Those who moved at the same time each day were more likely to make exercise feel automatic—a built-in part of their daily rhythm rather than another item on the to-do list.

People who exercised in the morning, in particular, had the most stable routines and the strongest habits. They didn’t necessarily work harder; they just showed up more consistently.

So I invite you to find your movement window—and protect it. Consider it like an appointment with yourself, and show up to it. You are not likely to blow off an appointment with your best friend, do you?

Week 2 Action Step: Create Your Movement Window

Planner with scheduled exercise represent consistency and habit formation

This week, your challenge is simple:

1. Pick your time. Morning, lunch, or evening—whatever feels realistic.

2. Move for at least 10 minutes. Walk, stretch, lift, dance, or flow.

3. Repeat daily. Consistency builds rhythm, and rhythm builds energy.

And if you’re navigating aches, hormonal changes, or life’s curveballs, remember: progress doesn’t always look like sweat. Sometimes, it looks like gentleness, persistence, and a body that keeps showing up—one intentional step at a time.

Reflection Prompt

• How do you feel when you move consistently versus when you don’t?

• What time of day feels most natural for your energy and mood?

• What’s one small movement that your future self will thank you for?

Next week, we’ll pivot toward nourishment—learning how to fuel our bodies through the holidays without restriction or guilt.

Until then, keep moving with intention. Your joints may creak, (Boy, does mine big time!) your body (and mind) may protest—but keep going. Your future self will thank you someday for the time investment you're putting in today!

DISCLAIMER: Lea Famularcano, MD is a medical doctor, but she is not your doctor. Topics discussed are purely informational only. She is not offering medical advice on this website.  If you are in need of professional advice or medical care, you must seek out the services of your doctor or health care professional.