Frozen shoulder, the name for adhesive capsulitis, is a painful, disabling condition that involves stiffness of the shoulders with decreasing range of motion (ROM) in the glenohumeral joint. Severe impacts on daily life and quality of life, as well as challenges with clinical management, also exist. Mobilization techniques are a key feature of physical therapy interventions for adhesive capsulitis and are an effective non-invasive approach for pain reduction, restoration of motion and functional improvement. Maitland and Mulligan mobilization methods are techniques, including graded manual manipulations, which target joint capsular restrictions, improve synovial fluid flow, and activate neurophysiological mechanisms. Mobilization specifically focuses on passive and active joint movements, allowing it to both address stiffness and help promote tissue remodelling and pain desensitization. Several methods have been proposed to address the problem; however, the procedures have limited indications, and evidence brings about the feasibility of improving shoulder flexion, abduction, and rotation, with consequent amplification of quality of life and patient results. Mobilization is integrated with adjunctive therapies, including therapeutic exercises and other modalities, such as heat or ultrasound, to optimize recovery. 

Nevertheless, the differences in clinical protocols, patient compliance and the individual response of the patient to treatment call for personalized medicine and monitoring. In this paper, we review the literature on the effectiveness of joint mobilization for the management of adhesive capsulitis through key outcomes of pain relief, ROM recovery, and functional recovery. It synthesizes evidence-based practices highlighting the use of joint mobilization as a cornerstone of the physical therapy treatment approach for this debilitating condition and for improving patient quality of life.