| Painful stage |
| Pain with movement |
| Generalized ache that is difficult to pinpoint |
| Muscle spasm |
| Increasing pain at night and at rest |
| Adhesive stage |
| Less pain |
| Increasing stiffness and restriction of movement |
| Decreasing pain at night and at rest |
| Discomfort felt at extreme ranges of movement |
| Recovery stage |
| Decreased pain |
| Marked restriction with slow, gradual increase in range of motion |
| Recovery is spontaneous but frequently incomplete |