FROZEN SHOULDER (ADHESIVE CAPSULITIS)

Cause

Frozen shoulder is characterized by pain, stiffness and loss of motion of the sholder joint. Patients are commonly between the ages of 40 and 60 years, with no clear predisposition based on sex, arm dominance, or occupation. It is common in people with diabtes and can follow minor trauma. The cause of frozen shoulder is not fully understood but does involve thickening and contracture of the ligaments and capsule surrounding the shoulder joint.

Treatment

Rapid mobilization after an injury can help prevent the development of frozen shoulder. The natural history is for frozen shoulder to resolve over a period of up to 2-3 years. Treatment is aimed at pain control and restoring range of motion. Anti-inflammatory medications, stretching and physical therapy will lead to resolution in 90 percent of cases.

If those resistant cases, a manipulation under anesthesia may be necessary. This procedure manually ruptures the scar and requires prompt resumption of exercises to prevent recurrance.

Injection/arthroscopy may also be done in conjunction with the manipulation.