Hormone therapy may thaw frozen shoulders faster — a trial puts it to the test

NCT ID NCT07736027

Symptom relief Sponsor: Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jul 30, 2026 · Last updated Jul 31, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether adding hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to a standard physiotherapy program improves pain, movement, and function in postmenopausal women with frozen shoulder. Fifty-six women aged 40 to 60 with stage I or II frozen shoulder will receive 12 weeks of supervised physical therapy, with half also taking HRT. The study aims to see if HRT can boost recovery and help personalize treatment for this common condition.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: hormone replacement therapy (HRT) combined with a standardized physiotherapy program
What this could lead to: If HRT enhances recovery, it could point toward a more effective treatment approach for frozen shoulder in postmenopausal women.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-stage trial with 56 participants. HRT carries known risks, and any added benefit over physiotherapy alone may be modest or absent.

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Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 56 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Sep 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Oct 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

40 to 60 years

Sex

Female participants only

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Postmenopausal female patients aged 40 to 60 years. * Shoulder pain at rest and during activities of daily living lasting for more than 3 months. * Clinical diagnosis of Stage I or Stage II frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). * Passive range of motion (ROM) loss of greater than 25% compared to the unaffected shoulder in at least two movement planes (flexion, abduction, internal rotation, or external rotation). * Reduced range of motion of less than 50% compared to the unaffected side in at least one movement direction (flexion, abduction, internal rotation, or external rotation). * Increased restriction of external and internal rotation during glenohumeral abduction from 45 to 90 degrees. Exclusion Criteria: * Passive external rotation range of motion of less than 30 degrees (\<30°). * Presence of glenohumeral arthritis confirmed by radiography. * History or presence of inflammatory joint disease. * History of malignancy or active cancer diagnosis. * Previous treatment for the current shoulder condition (e.g., physiotherapy and rehabilitation, intra-articular injections, or surgical intervention). * Baseline shoulder pain score of less than 3 (\<3) on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS).

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

bursitis frozen shoulder Motor Activity

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Adhesive capsulitis Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder Exercise Frozen shoulder Hormone replacement therapy, post-menopausal Physical therapy

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

The places running it

1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
The official record

ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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A doctor treating you

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Hormone therapy may thaw frozen shoulders faster — a trial puts it to the test

What the study statuses mean