Abstract Objective To retrospectively analyze the range of arthroscopic release of primary frozen shoulder and its effect on prognosis.Methods 84 patients with primary frozen shoulder admitted to our department from January 2018 to may 2020 were retrospectively studied. 25 patients were treated with conservative treatment (conservative group), 37 patients were treated with arthroscopic anterior release (anterior release group), and 22 patients were treated with arthroscopic 3600 release (3600 release group). The Visual analogue scale(VAS), Constant score and range of motion of shoulder joint(ROM) were observed before operation, 4 weeks after operation and at the last follow-up.Results ① There was no significant difference in gender, side, age, nevaiser stage, VAS score, ROM among the three groups (P > 0.05).② The VAS score and Constant score at 4 weeks after operation and the last follow-up were significantly better than those before operation (P < 0.001). At 4 weeks after operation, there was no significant difference in VAS score among the three groups (P > 0.05). At the last follow-up, the VAS scores of anterior release group and 3600 release group were significantly lower than those of conservative group (P < 0.05). 4 weeks after operation and at the last follow-up, Constant score of anterior release group and 3600 release group was significantly higher than that of conservative group (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in Constant score between anterior release group and 3600 release group (P > 0.05).③ At 4 weeks after operation, abduction, external rotation and internal rotation in anterior release group and 3600 release group were significantly larger than those in conservative group (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in flexion range (P > 0.05). The internal rotation angle of 3600 release group was greater than that of front release group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). At the last follow-up, the abduction, external rotation, internal rotation and forward flexion of shoulder joint in the anterior release group and 3600 release group were greater than those in the conservative group (P < 0.001).Conclusions Arthroscopic anterior release could significantly improve the function of primary frozen shoulder.