Developing A Functional Exercise Program to Improve Shoulder Stiffness in Middle-Aged Women

Background and Aim: Shoulder stiffness affects approximately one-third of the population. Notably, frozen shoulder impacts 8.20% of Chinese adults, with women aged 40-60 showing a higher risk due to hormonal factors. The objectives of this study were to (1) develop a functional exercise program to improve shoulder stiffness in middle-aged women. (2) Compare the effects of the exercise program between the experimental and control groups. (3) Compare the effects of the exercise program within the experimental group between the pretest, midtest, and posttest. Materials and Methods: This study was quasi-experimental, with thirty middle-aged women divided into two groups based on their shoulder stiffness, 15 in each. The experimental group participated in the functional exercise program, whereas the control group received regular training. The data-gathering process comprised pretests, midtests, and posttests to examine the joint range of shoulder motion, the visual numeric pain scale, and the FMS shoulder flexibility test. The data was analyzed using mean, standard deviation, percentage, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA repeated measurement, and paired post hoc with Bonferroni (*p<.05). Results: The results found that (1) the functional exercise program demonstrated strong content validity (IOC=0.92-1.00) with appropriate exercise drill design, intensity parameters, and recovery periods based on tryout results. (2) The experimental group showed significantly lower pain scores (VAS) and better FMS shoulder flexibility test performance compared to controls (*p<.05), though joint range of motion was comparable between groups. (3) Within the experimental group, significant improvements occurred in range of motion, pain scale scores, and shoulder flexibility across all testing phases (*p<.05), confirming intervention effectiveness through notable pairwise comparisons. Conclusion: The functional exercise program significantly improved shoulder stiffness, pain levels, and flexibility in middle-aged women. Participants in the experimental group demonstrated notable enhancements in joint range of motion and reduced pain scores compared to the control group. These findings support the program's effectiveness as a targeted intervention for managing shoulder stiffness and enhancing overall shoulder function.