冻结肩 资料 In-depth
您所感受到的症状
冻结肩(肩周炎)通常始于一种深部的、沉闷的酸痛,这种疼痛在数周内逐渐加重,而非一夜之间突然出现。对大多数人而言,疼痛最初是最严重的部分,且常在夜间最为剧烈。平卧于患侧变得不可能,而睡眠中断则是整个病程中最令人疲惫的方面之一。
随后,肩部开始僵硬受限。当您伸手去系安全带、向上够取高处的架子或向后伸向口袋时,手臂会突然停止运动。冻结肩与大多数肩部问题不同之处在于,这种僵硬并非仅仅是因疼痛而产生的保护性肌紧张——即使他人为您抬起手臂,肩部也确实无法活动。丧失将手向外旋转的能力(例如像开门或将手臂伸入袖子那样),是所有症状中最具特征性的表现。
大多数患者的年龄大约在40至60岁之间。有些人记得之前受过轻微撞击;许多人则完全没有明确的诱因。如果您患有糖尿病或甲状腺疾病,患病风险更高;如果一侧肩部曾患此病,另一侧肩部日后出现类似症状的可能性也略有增加。
实际发生了什么
您的肩关节位于一个由坚韧组织构成的囊(关节囊)内。 通常,这个囊是松弛且富有弹性的,这使得肩关节的活动范围超过人体其他任何关节。在冻结肩中,关节囊发生炎症,随后增厚并收缩,导致囊腔缩小。关节内部的空间可能缩小至正常大小的一半以下。
尽管旧称“粘连性关节囊炎”,但关节内部实际上并没有任何组织粘连在一起。不存在类似胶水的粘连物。组织发生了紧缩,这是一个本质上不同的问题,因此一些外科医生认为该病症应简单地称为肩关节挛缩——即紧缩。
其发病机制仍未被充分理解,诚实地承认这一点是必要的。有充分证据表明,这并非纯粹的肩部局部问题。遗传风险研究显示,1型糖尿病确实会导致冻结肩,而不仅仅是与之相关,并且这种关联是通过血糖而非体重或机械负荷实现的。组织变化与手部杜普伊特伦病(Dupuytren's disease)惊人地相似,这就是为什么这两种疾病常出现在同一个人身上。
诚实地说明恢复所需的时间
您很可能会读到,冻结肩(肩周炎)具有自限性,并会在大约十八个月到两年内完全自行缓解。我们希望与您坦诚相告:这种令人安心的说法比现有证据所支持的更为肯定。
该疾病会整齐地经历三个阶段——冻结期、冻结期、解冻期——这一观点源于一项1975年发表的小型研究,在该研究中,患者的手臂在吊带中休息长达九个月。不出所料,以这种方式治疗的肩部在允许活动后,先变得僵硬,随后又再次变得灵活。当研究人员回过头来审查所有可用的研究时,他们未能找到任何良好证据表明,未经治疗的肩部会可靠地经历这些阶段并最终恢复正常。事实上,从未有任何研究证明,未经治疗的人能够恢复到经测量证实的真正正常的活动范围。
证据所显示的内容更为实用,具体如下:您将获得的大部分改善往往发生在早期,随后进展会放缓并趋于平稳。 这种平台期可能是永久性的。根据您阅读的研究不同,大约三分之一到一半的人在数年后仍会感到某些疼痛或僵硬,尽管对其中大多数人来说,症状较轻,并不妨碍他们做自己想做的事。
这一切并不意味着您不会好转。大多数人会有很大程度的改善。但这确实意味着“只需等待,它会自行解决”并非一条中立的建议,并且有合理理由积极治疗疼痛,而不是仅仅忍受它。
我们能做什么
在 Mater Private Hospital Rockhampton,Kieran Hirpara 医生会根据您更受困扰的症状——疼痛或僵硬——来为您讲解治疗方案,而不是试图将您归入某个编号阶段。
关节内皮质类固醇注射是针对疼痛期证据最充分的治疗手段。在大量的研究体系中,它是唯一能可靠地产生患者实际可感知的疼痛和功能改善的治疗,且在前几周内即可起效。其诚实的局限性在于,这种优势大约在三个月后消退。它为您争取了舒适感、睡眠以及肩部工作的能力——但它并不能治愈僵硬。
锻炼和物理治疗值得进行,但需抱有现实的期望。简单的家庭锻炼计划具有可测量的价值。可能让您惊讶的是,锻炼强度影响不大:一项比较强力、终末范围拉伸与温和、无痛活动的试验仅发现较小的差异,在某些动作上略微有利于较强力的方式;另一项研究则发现,在疼痛限度内温和锻炼的人效果更好——而且令人宽慰的是,没有证据表明更用力会造成损伤。因此,请在您能耐受的范围内活动。强行忍受剧烈疼痛并未被证明能加速恢复。
水扩张术(Hydrodilatation)是通过注射液体从内部拉伸关节囊,应用广泛且风险低。相关研究结果确实不一:一项综述发现它对疼痛和活动度的作用都很小,另有一些研究发现,与单纯皮质类固醇注射相比,它在某些动作上带来早期改善,但这种改善并不持久。这是一个合理的选择,但我们不会过度宣传它。
麻醉下手法松解(Manipulation under anaesthetic)是指在您睡眠状态下,将肩部活动至全范围以拉伸僵硬的关节囊。在比较主要治疗手段的最大规模试验中,这被证明是总体性价比最高的选择。
关节镜下关节囊松解术(Keyhole capsular release)涉及在直视下外科切开僵硬的关节囊,而不是将其拉伸直至撕裂。其主要优势在于往往最持久:在已发表的手术系列研究中,松解术后复发性僵硬并不常见,而手法松解后,相当比例的肩部会再次变紧并需要第二次手术。在英国的大型试验中,接受松解术的人群在三个组中再次需要任何进一步治疗的可能性最低。由于这是一种手术,其风险略高于其他替代方案,费用也更高,且您在前几周可能会比接受手法松解的人感觉更疼痛——这种早期的差异大约在六个月时趋于一致。
值得了解的是:在该试验中,一年后三种方法的结果都在几个百分点的范围内彼此接近。这确实是好消息,因为这意味着决策可以基于什么适合您、您的其他健康状况以及您的具体情况,而不是基于某个选项明显更优。
Hirpara 医生通常如何安排这些治疗。 您不会被要求在能接受任何治疗之前先忍受固定数量的月份。在实践中,他通常建议先进行皮质类固醇注射,因为对许多人来说,这足以消除足够的疼痛,让您在肩部稳定期间继续生活。如果注射未能给您带来足够的缓解,他乐意从那时起提供关节囊松解术——他并不要求您先痛苦地坚持九或十二个月。鉴于“它总会自行解决”这一安慰性说法被证明多么不可靠,花一年时间在疼痛中度过以查明您的病情走向是没有意义的。
预期情况
如果您接受注射治疗,预计疼痛会在最初的一到两周内逐渐缓解。请利用这段时间保持肩关节的活动。
如果您接受手法松解或关节囊松解术,您将恢复的大部分活动范围会迅速恢复——通常在最初的四到六周内——并且在大约三个月后通常不会有进一步的显著变化。早期开始活动至关重要,物理治疗通常在术后一两天内开始。大多数人可以在一到三周内恢复办公室类型的工作。
如果您患有糖尿病,可以合理预期您的恢复速度会比平均水平稍慢,且恢复程度略低,并且值得了解的是,皮质类固醇注射可能会使您的血糖在几天内出现波动。如果您的血糖控制困难,请告知我们,因为这会改变我们的建议。
无论您选择哪种治疗途径,恢复期都以月为单位计算,而非以周为单位。您能做的最有用的事情是在舒适范围内持续使用手臂,并确保睡眠得到保护。
何时就医
如果肩部疼痛导致夜间无法入睡,或经过数周休息后仍未缓解,请就诊您的全科医生(GP)。如果肩部活动确实变得困难(而不仅仅是疼痛),请特别询问是否可能为冻结肩(肩周炎)。
如果出现以下情况,请尽早要求专科医生评估:无法将手向外旋转;患有糖尿病;肩部问题影响工作或驾驶;或疼痛严重到影响睡眠。在疼痛得到评估之前长时间等待并无益处。
如果出现以下情况,请立即寻求医疗帮助:肩部变得发热、发红和肿胀;伴有不适感或发热;手臂出现明显无力或麻木;或疼痛由跌倒或外伤引起。这些特征提示病情并非冻结肩,而是需要更紧急处理的其他问题。
深入探讨
本节内容超出了您做出自身治疗决策所需的范围。之所以包含此部分,是因为冻结肩是患者所获告知与现有研究实际结论存在偏差的疾病之一,部分患者更希望了解背后的推理过程,而非仅凭信任接受建议。
关节内实际发生了什么
关节囊是包裹关节的一层胶原蛋白袖套。在冻结肩中,它会发炎,随后发生纤维化,被称为成纤维细胞的细胞增殖并沉积致密的新胶原蛋白,其中一些转化为肌成纤维细胞,后者能够主动收缩。这是与普通瘢痕形成的关键区别:组织不仅增厚,还会收紧。关节容积可从正常的 10–15 mL 降至 3–4 mL。
同样的细胞行为也发生在手部的杜普伊特伦病中,这就是为什么这两种疾病常出现在同一批患者身上,也是为什么一位肩关节外科医生认为该病应简单地重新命名为肩关节挛缩,而非“关节囊炎” [1]。 尽管旧称“粘连性关节囊炎”,但外科医生在探查关节内部时,并未发现任何粘连。
为什么“三阶段”理论比听起来更站不住脚
你会到处读到,冻结肩会经历冻结期、僵硬期和缓解期。该模型于1975年提出。当研究人员回溯其来源时,发现作者混淆了两篇不同早期论文的参考文献,更重要的是,他的患者手臂在悬吊带中固定了长达九个月。肩部固定如此之久会变僵硬,一旦允许活动就会松动。“阶段”可能部分描述的是治疗过程,而非疾病本身。
一项旨在检验该模型的系统性综述未能找到支持它的证据,反而发现了与其预测相反的结果:大多数改善发生在早期,随后放缓,而非逐渐发展到后期的缓解期 [2]。此外,临床医生也无法可靠地就特定肩部处于哪个阶段达成一致,撰写标准定义的人也在出版物中承认,用于证实其的数据“不可用”。
恢复统计数据,以及为何存在两个截然不同的答案
常被引用的数据是94%的人在未接受治疗的情况下恢复。这一数据源自一项真实研究,但仅统计了那些未接受治疗且返回进行随访的患者。原始队列中的大多数人要么选择了治疗,要么中途退出。若统计所有患者,同一数据得出的比例约为26% [2]。“恢复”的定义也与另一侧肩部相差10度以内,而在部分此类患者中,另一侧肩部也曾出现冻结肩。
最大规模的长期随访研究发现,平均四年后仍有41%的患者存在症状,且值得知晓的是,改善在大约三年后基本停止,而非无限持续 [4]。
这是一种全身性疾病,而非单纯的肩部疾病
一项大型遗传学研究发现了与冻结肩相关的五个DNA区域,并利用一种能够区分因果关系与偶然关联的技术,证明1型糖尿病确实会导致冻结肩,而不仅仅是与其伴随发生。在考虑了糖尿病因素后,超重并未显示出独立影响,体重相关性随之消失。这表明血糖水平而非机械负荷才是驱动因素 [5]。
物理治疗证据实际说明了什么
如果您正在接受或提供物理治疗,这部分内容最值得了解。一项 Cochrane 综述汇总了 32 项试验和 1,836 名受试者 [6]。有三个发现尤为突出。
与皮质类固醇注射相比,手法物理治疗在早期效果较差。 在头对头试验中,为期六周的被动活动度和监督性练习,在第七周时,疼痛改善比单次注射少 26 分,功能改善少 25 分。以患者是否感觉显著改善或康复为判断标准,物理治疗组为 46%,注射组为 77%,大致相当于每四名接受注射的患者中,有一人因接受注射而非物理治疗而获益。到六至十二个月时,差距已消失,差异不再具有临床意义。
施加的力度、频率以及使用的具体技术似乎影响不大。 一项 100 名患者的试验比较了强力的 末端范围 活动与温和的 无痛 活动:两组均有改善,较强力的技术在某些动作上统计学表现更佳(在三个月和十二个月时将手臂向侧方抬起,在十二个月时将手臂向外旋转),但作者判断这些差异较小 [18]。一项纳入 77 人的非随机研究发现了相反的结果:在两年时,在疼痛限度内温和锻炼的人中有 89% 的肩部评分正常或接近正常,而接受强化拉伸的人中这一比例为 63% [19]。一项 120 名患者的试验改变了末端范围活动的 频率(每周超过两次、每周一次、每周少于一次),发现外展角度的差异小于八度,且所有差异在统计学上均与零无显著区别。技术之间的头对头比较——前滑与后滑、PNF(本体感觉神经肌肉促进法)与传统练习、哑铃与徒手——几乎均无显著差异。令人放心的是,也没有 迹象表明在末端范围进行操作会造成伤害。
最大的结构性空白:从未有试验将手法治疗加练习与完全不治疗进行对比。 因此,虽然我们可以说物理治疗并不明显优于注射,且其实施细节似乎不会带来太大变化,但没有人实际证明改善中有多少部分是自然发生的。
两个有用的注意事项。综述中唯一真正高质量的试验考察了关节扩张术 之后 的物理治疗,发现其对疼痛、功能或生活质量无影响,但它确实改善了自我评估为已康复的人数比例,并在六周时增加了约 13 度 的外展角度,该效果在六个月时已消退。此外,在英国的大型试验中,物理治疗组 被描述 为包括针对僵硬范围的手法拉伸,但其自身记录显示,仅 11–27% 的患者使用了手法活动,且仅有一名患者接受了监督性拉伸。实际提供并在一岁时表现与手术相当的内容是:健康教育、注射、温和的监督性活动以及家庭锻炼计划。
恢复良好需要多长时间,以及松解术的类型是否重要
时间。 松解术后,中位患者在约一个月时跨过“这是实质性改善”的阈值,在约四个月时跨过“我的肩膀对我而言可以接受”的阈值 [14]。停工时间的中位数为八周,尽管分布范围较广,四分之一患者在四周时复工,四分之三患者在十三周时复工 [15]。
手法复位能更快地恢复活动度。 这是与上述持久性优势之间的诚实权衡:手法复位能更早地恢复活动范围,而松解术直到大约六个月时才能真正赶上,此后两者在所有汇总测量指标上均无差异。一项小型比较甚至发现,单独进行手法复位的患者最终获得了最佳的外旋功能 [16]。
切除多少关节囊是一个真实的问题,答案是“比你想象的少”。 一项汇总18项研究、629名患者和811个肩部的综述比较了三种技术:仅松解关节囊的前部和底部、增加后部松解,或进行全周松解。其结论是范围较小的松解术提供了更好的功能和疼痛评分,增加后部松解可带来早期的内旋改善,但这种改善并不持久(尽管它确实带来了持久的屈曲增益),且全周360度松解“可能不会带来任何额外益处”。三种技术之间的并发症发生率没有差异 [17]。两项关于后部延伸松解的随机对照试验发现了相同的模式:早期恢复更快,六个月时无差异。因此,更大的手术并不自动意味着更好的结果。
同时进行两者并不是答案。 在唯一的三方比较中,在松解术基础上增加手法复位导致外旋功能丧失的最高发生率,为18%,而单独手法复位为7%,单独松解术为2% [16]。
最大规模治疗试验的实际发现
英国一项试验将500余例患者随机分配至以下三组:联合注射的结构化物理治疗、麻醉下手法松解术或关节镜手术。在一年随访时,三组结果彼此相差无几,差异小于患者可察觉的程度 [7]。这确实是有用的信息:它意味着治疗选择可以基于个人偏好和具体情况,而非某一选项明显更优。
三者的差异主要体现在后续需要额外治疗的比例上。在该试验中,松解术后需进一步治疗的比例为4%,手法松解术后为7%,物理治疗后为15% [7]。在单位效益成本方面,手法松解术表现最佳;松解术成本最高,并导致了试验中大部分严重并发症,尽管从绝对数量上看这些并发症仍属罕见。
手法松解或切开松解——复发问题
这正是两种手术真正产生差异的地方,也是外科医生可能引导您选择切开松解的原因,尽管两者的主要结局评分看起来相同。
手法松解会拉伸关节囊直至其撕裂,而撕裂的位置并不总是由您选择。在最大规模的系列研究中,792例肩部随访17年——17.8%的患者需要第二次手法松解,而在1型糖尿病患者中,这一比例上升至37.9% [9]。平均随访时间最长的研究(平均13年)发现,19.2%的患者曾需要重复手法松解,31.3%的患者在某个时间点描述了复发 [10]。有两点可以缓解这一情况:几乎所有复发都发生在第一年(五年后复发率低于2%),且重复手法松解的效果与首次大致相当 [9][10]。
切开松解是在直视下有意切开关节囊。再次手术的发生率明显较低:一项平均随访五年的系列研究报告,32例患者中无再次手术,仅有一名未完成康复训练的患者出现单次复发 [11]。一项汇总八项研究及768例患者的荟萃分析发现,两种手术在疼痛、功能和活动度方面效果相当(切开松解在长期疼痛方面有微小优势,但未达到具有临床意义的程度),而切开松解后严重并发症的发生率较高。该分析指出,手法松解组需要再次接受皮质类固醇注射的比例较高(尽管差异无统计学意义),并提出在更长的随访期内,“手法松解组可能会经历更多复发” [8]。
有两个诚实的保留意见。首先,关于手法松解复发的大型研究主要源自同一位外科医生的诊所,因此它们并非彼此独立的验证。其次,切开松解也并非完全恢复:一项系列研究发现,在术后两至六年,患者的平均肩部评分仍仅约为77分(满分100分) [12];而在一个排除糖尿病患者的队列中,尽管几乎所有人都获得了有意义的改善,但11–22%的患者在六个月时仍认为其肩部状况不可接受 [13]。
因此,诚实的总结是:就使肩部活动并感到舒适而言,两者大致相当,且手法松解是更经济的方式。就维持这种状态而言,证据支持切开松解。如果您患有糖尿病、肩部非常僵硬,或者已经接受过未保持效果的手法松解,这一差异最为重要。
参考文献
Advanced reading: the deeper science (optional)
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Evidence & references
This is the clinical evidence summary written for health professionals. It is technical, and it lists the research this page was built from. You do not need to read it to understand your treatment or to make a decision about it.
Overview
- Frozen shoulder management guidelines provide evidence-based guidance and identify key areas for future research [2].
- Magnetic resonance imaging findings in frozen shoulder should not replace clinical judgments regarding prognosis and treatment decisions [7].
- Clinicians should monitor frozen shoulder patients with diabetes more closely and offer further treatment if pain or lack of function persist long-term [8].
- Different treatment strategies for frozen shoulder may be appropriate depending on the location [9].
- A strict definition of recalcitrant idiopathic frozen shoulder is needed to prevent unnecessary interventions, as current data should not be interpreted as a plea for surgery in patients with a mean symptom duration of 4 months [10].
- The variety of participants, methods, interventions, and outcomes across trials provides limited new evidence to inform the non-surgical management and treatment of frozen shoulder [14].
- Patients with a poor outcome or recurrent symptoms after manipulation under anaesthetic (MUA) should be offered a further MUA, with an expectation of a good outcome and a low complication rate [17].
- Early surgical intervention might shorten the overall duration of symptoms in frozen shoulder and is not associated with inferior clinical outcomes compared with late surgical intervention [19].
- There is insufficient evidence to reliably recommend a single treatment approach for frozen shoulder [32].
- Further treatment was indicated in 41% of patients who could not tolerate more than 20 mL of injection during hydrodilatation [34].
- Recurrence of frozen shoulder was more common in primary (33%) versus secondary (16%) cases [34].
- Arthroscopic capsular release is a suitable option for refractory primary frozen shoulder syndrome, leading to faster and long-lasting recovery [35].
- Manipulation under anaesthetic (MUA) and arthroscopic capsular release (ACR) are both good treatment options for primary frozen shoulder [70].
- MUA is simpler but carries risks of serious complications, whereas ACR may be safer if performed by experienced surgeons and is convenient for patients with combined rotator cuff tears [70].
Anatomy & Pathophysiology
- Primary (idiopathic) frozen shoulder consists of three phases: pain, stiffness, and thawing [3].
- Secondary frozen shoulders may not exhibit all three phases and may not follow the exact chronology of primary frozen shoulder [3].
- The pain phase of primary frozen shoulder involves a gradual onset of diffuse shoulder pain that is progressive over weeks to months [3].
- Pain in the initial phase is usually worse at night and exacerbated by lying on the affected side [3].
- Reduced arm use due to pain leads to stiffness [3].
- The stiffness phase begins when patients restrict movement to seek pain relief and usually lasts 4 to 12 months [3].
- During the stiffness phase, patients experience difficulty with activities of daily living, such as men accessing back pockets or women fastening brassieres [3].
- A dull ache is present nearly all time during the stiffness phase, especially at night, often accompanied by sharp pain during range of motion at or near new endpoints [3].
- The thawing phase lasts for weeks or months, during which motion increases and pain diminishes [3].
- Without treatment, motion return in the thawing phase is gradual and may never objectively return to normal, although most patients subjectively feel near normal [3].
- Frozen shoulder is characterized by progressive pain and stiffness that usually resolves spontaneously after about 18 months [4].
- Histological features of frozen shoulder are reminiscent of Dupuytren’s disease, with active fibroblastic and myofibroblastic proliferation in the rotator interval, anterior capsule, and coracohumeral ligament [4].
- Conditions particularly associated with frozen shoulder include diabetes, Dupuytren’s disease, hyperlipidaemia, hyperthyroidism, cardiac disease, and hemiplegia [4].
- The etiology of frozen shoulder is still not known and understanding of the pathogenesis is limited [15].
- Frozen shoulder is a poorly understood condition that typically involves substantial pain, movement restriction, and considerable morbidity [12].
- The pathophysiology of frozen shoulder is complex, involving various pathophysiologic mechanisms [62].
- A systematic review summarizes the tissue pathophysiology of primary frozen shoulder [25].
- Primary frozen shoulder is defined by total elevation restricted to 135° or less [20].
- In primary frozen shoulder, motion restriction is localized to the humero-scapular joint [20].
- Primary frozen shoulder excludes cases with post-traumatic conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, hemiplegia, or other obvious changes explaining the range of motion decrease [20].
- Secondary frozen shoulder involves decreased range of motion following a traumatic lesion, including soft tissue injury, intra- and juxtaarticular fractures, and other upper limb fractures [20].
- Symptomatic subjects with frozen shoulder demonstrate substantial kinematic deficits during humeral range of motion [44].
- Patients with frozen shoulder present with altered shoulder muscle activity and kinematics [78].
- Pathomechanics of frozen shoulder are characterized by glenohumeral motion limitations, high tension in the anteroinferior glenohumeral capsule, and altered scapular motion [75].
- The scapulohumeral rhythm (SHR) of the affected shoulder is inversely related to the severity of limitation of shoulder range of motion, suggesting a compensatory pattern [80].
- The anatomical structure of passive shoulder restraints has no impact on the difference in passive joint position sense values between external and internal rotation in frozen shoulder [59].
- The thickness of the inferior glenohumeral joint capsule in the 80° scapular plane elevated arm position is a highly reliable and valid method for assessment [79].
- Imaging is an essential tool for evaluation of patients with shoulder pain to understand the extent of injury [37].
- X-rays in frozen shoulder are normal, and their main role is to exclude other causes of pain and stiffness [4].
- Post-traumatic stiffness may persist for some months after severe shoulder injury but is maximal at the start and gradually lessens, unlike the pattern of frozen shoulder [4].
- Disuse stiffness can occur if the arm is nursed overcautiously, such as following a wrist fracture, but lacks the characteristic pain pattern of frozen shoulder [4].
- Complex regional pain syndrome may follow acute trauma or be seen in patients with myocardial infarction or stroke, presenting features similar to frozen shoulder [4].
- Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis can affect the shoulder and develop bilaterally, with diagnosis usually obvious on X-ray [4].
- Shoulder stiffness is a typical outcome after bone or soft tissue injuries around the shoulder, including contusions, subluxations, dislocations, acromioclavicular joint injuries, clavicle and scapula fractures, and proximal humerus fractures in the elderly [61].
- Repetitive, low-level trauma can cause localized contractures leading to motion loss in specific patterns [61].
- Isolated posterior capsular contracture is the most commonly described localized contracture causing motion loss [61].
- Surgical procedures such as anterior or posterior capsulorrhaphy, inferior capsular shift, and rotator cuff surgery can result in limitation of motion [61].
Classification
- Frozen shoulder is a specific, painful, and debilitating condition affecting patients mainly in middle age [6].
- Most patients clinically diagnosed with primary frozen shoulder had undiagnosed systemic abnormalities and/or intra-articular pathologies [5].
- 18F-FDG PET/CT is clinically relevant in diagnostically challenging cases, such as distinguishing the first phase of frozen shoulder from subacromial impingement [11].
- Health professionals manage frozen shoulders differently for different phases of the condition [16].
- Primary frozen shoulders are defined by total elevation restricted to 135° or less [20].
- In primary frozen shoulder, the restriction of motion is localized to the humero-scapular joint [20].
- Primary frozen shoulder is diagnosed when no findings in case history, clinical examination, or radiological examination explain the decrease in range of motion [20].
- Cases with post-traumatic conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, hemiplegia, and other obvious changes are excluded from primary frozen shoulder classification [20].
- Secondary frozen shoulder is characterized by decreased range of motion following a traumatic lesion [20].
- Associated injuries in secondary frozen shoulder include soft tissue injury to the shoulder region, intra- and juxtaarticular fractures, and other fractures of the upper limb [20].
- Frozen shoulder is classified into three consecutive stages according to Reeves [20].
- Stage 1 of frozen shoulder is characterized by pain [20].
- Stage 1 of frozen shoulder has a duration of 10 to 36 weeks [20].
- In Stage 1 of frozen shoulder, there is no difference between men and women, no difference between affected dominant and nondominant shoulders, and no correlation with age [20].
- In the early stages of frozen shoulder, there is a full range of movement under anesthesia [20].
- Classification of frozen shoulder was found to be controversial [38].
- There are lower rates of agreement among Japan Shoulder Society (JSS) members than American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) members for the definition of primary frozen shoulder [43].
- There are lower rates of agreement among JSS members than ASES members for the classification of primary and secondary frozen shoulder [43].
- There are lower rates of agreement among JSS members than ASES members for the divisions of secondary frozen shoulder [43].
- There is disagreement among shoulder specialists regarding terminology for frozen shoulder [57].
Clinical Presentation
- Frozen shoulder is a specific, painful, and debilitating condition that primarily affects patients in middle age [6].
- Frozen shoulder is a common disease that causes significant morbidity [21].
- Frozen shoulder is characterized by severe shoulder pain and functional restriction [24].
- Frozen shoulder has considerable economic impact [28].
- Frozen shoulder typically involves substantial pain, movement restriction, and considerable morbidity [12].
- Frozen shoulder affects approximately 4% of the general population [24].
- Frozen shoulder affects up to 59% of patients with diabetes mellitus [24].
- The disease duration of frozen shoulder varies between 1 and 3 years [24].
- The clinical course of primary (idiopathic) frozen shoulder consists of three phases: pain, stiffness, and thawing [3].
- Primary frozen shoulder is characterized by progressive pain and stiffness which usually resolves spontaneously after about 18 months [4].
- In Phase I (Pain), patients experience a gradual onset of diffuse shoulder pain that is progressive over weeks to months [3].
- The pain in Phase I is usually worse at night and exacerbated by lying on the affected side [3].
- In Phase II (Stiffness), patients restrict movement to seek pain relief, leading to stiffness that usually lasts 4 to 12 months [3].
- During Phase II, patients have difficulty with activities of daily living, such as men reaching back pockets or women fastening brassieres [3].
- In Phase II, a dull ache is present nearly all the time, especially at night, often accompanied by sharp pain during range of motion at or near new endpoints [3].
- In Phase III (Thawing), motion increases and pain diminishes over weeks or months [3].
- Without treatment, motion return in Phase III is gradual and may never objectively return to normal, though patients often subjectively feel near normal [3].
- The natural history of frozen shoulder involves pain that increases in severity, prevents sleeping on the affected side, and subsides after several months [4].
- As pain subsides in frozen shoulder, stiffness becomes more prominent and persists for another 6–12 months if untreated [4].
- Movement is gradually regained in frozen shoulder but may not return to normal [4].
- Patients with frozen shoulder are typically aged 40–60 years [4].
- Patients with frozen shoulder may give a history of trauma, often trivial, followed by pain [4].
- Physical examination of frozen shoulder usually reveals slight muscle wasting and tenderness [4].
- Movements in frozen shoulder are always limited, and the shoulder may be extremely stiff in severe cases [4].
- X-rays in frozen shoulder are normal; their main role is to exclude other causes of pain and stiffness [4].
- Post-traumatic stiffness is characterized by stiffness without much pain that is maximal at the start and gradually lessens, unlike the pattern of frozen shoulder [4].
- Disuse stiffness occurs if the arm is nursed overcautiously and lacks the characteristic pain pattern of frozen shoulder [4].
- Complex regional pain syndrome may follow acute trauma or occur in patients with myocardial infarction or stroke, presenting features similar to frozen shoulder [4].
- Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis can affect the shoulder bilaterally and are usually obvious on X-ray [4].
- Primary frozen shoulder excludes cases with post-traumatic conditions, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, hemiplegia, or other obvious changes in history or examination [20].
- Secondary frozen shoulder involves decreased range of motion following a traumatic lesion, such as soft tissue injury or fractures of the upper limb [20].
- Stage 1 (pain) of frozen shoulder lasts 10 to 36 weeks [20].
- In Stage 1 of frozen shoulder, there is no difference in presentation between men and women, affected dominant and nondominant shoulders, or correlation with age [20].
- Frozen shoulder following COVID-19 vaccination may present with clinical features similar to idiopathic frozen shoulder [39].
- Frozen shoulder can occur after COVID-19 vaccination [41].
- Frozen shoulder is particularly associated with diabetes, Dupuytren’s disease, hyperlipidaemia, hyperthyroidism, cardiac disease, and hemiplegia [4].
- MR findings in frozen shoulder should not replace clinical judgments regarding further prognosis and treatment decisions [7].
- Unusual stiffness and pain in the shoulder of a young female patient suggests a wide range of disease entities, including infection [23].
- Misdiagnosing shoulder tumors as frozen shoulder syndrome is likely to cause a significant delay in making a correct diagnosis [40].
- A detailed clinical history and examination is critical in the assessment of a painful, stiff shoulder to avoid misdiagnosis of conditions like malignant shoulder girdle tumours [1].
Investigations
- A detailed clinical history and examination is critical in the assessment of a painful, stiff shoulder [1].
- The term frozen shoulder should be reserved for a well-defined disorder characterized by progressive pain and stiffness which usually resolves spontaneously after about 18 months [4].
- The histological features of frozen shoulder are reminiscent of Dupuytren’s disease, with active fibroblastic and myofibroblastic proliferation in the rotator interval, anterior capsule and coracohumeral ligament [4].
- Patients may give a history of trauma, often trivial, followed by pain that gradually increases in severity and often prevents sleeping on the affected side [4].
- Pain begins to subside after several months, but stiffness becomes more problematic; untreated stiffness persists for another 6–12 months before movement is gradually regained, which may not return to normal [4].
- Clinical examination usually reveals slight muscle wasting and tenderness, with always limited movements and extreme stiffness in severe cases [4].
- X-rays are normal in frozen shoulder, and their main role is to exclude other causes of pain and stiffness [4].
- Disuse stiffness may occur if the arm is nursed overcautiously, such as following a wrist fracture, and lacks the characteristic pain pattern of frozen shoulder [4].
- Complex regional pain syndrome may follow acute trauma or be seen in patients with myocardial infarction or stroke, and its features can be similar to those of frozen shoulder [4].
- Both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis can affect the shoulder, with diagnosis usually obvious on X-ray, and rheumatoid arthritis may present with characteristic generalized symptoms and signs [4].
- Unusual stiffness and pain in the shoulder of a young female patient suggests a wide range of disease entities, from simple frozen shoulder to infection [23].
- Routine use of shoulder MRI scans in patients with frozen shoulder but without suspicion of additional pathology may not be indicated [31].
- Imaging is an essential tool for evaluation of patients with shoulder pain, and understanding the extent of an injury with imaging is key to successful management [37].
- Physicians should re-examine frozen shoulder patients with repeated plain radiographs and further imaging, especially MRI, if conservative therapy fails [56].
- MR arthrography reveals characteristic findings in patients with frozen shoulder [58].
- T2 signal hyperintensity and axillary capsule thickening are characteristic of the early stages of frozen shoulder, although MRI alone cannot completely define the disease stage [71].
- The burning sign is an abnormal finding that appears in dynamic MRI of severe frozen shoulder [73].
- Dynamic MRI semiquantitatively demonstrated a reduction in abnormal blood flow and improvement in clinical results after manipulation under cervical nerve root block (MUC) in patients with frozen shoulder [77].
- Clinical improvement in patients with frozen shoulder was associated with a decrease in the coefficient of enhancement (CE) in the glenohumeral synovium following intraarticular injections of hyaluronate [81].
- There may be a causal relationship between hypothyroidism and frozen shoulder [85].
- Patients who underwent image-guided (ultrasound) injections had statistically significant greater improvement in shoulder pain and function at 6 weeks after injection compared to blind injections [86].
- MR imaging of patients with severe frozen shoulder after MUC showed 29 capsule tears, 4 labrum tears, and 15 bone bruises of the humeral head [87].
Treatment
Non-Operative Management
- Treatment for frozen shoulder aims to improve pain and function through a shared decision-making process, utilizing a step-up approach from conservative measures to invasive treatments if symptoms persist [28].
- Health professionals manage frozen shoulders differently depending on the phase of the condition [16].
- There is limited evidence of the effectiveness of different forms of treatment used for frozen shoulder, with many studies carrying a moderate to high risk of bias and omitting details of symptom duration or condition phase [74].
- The variety of participants, methods, interventions, and outcomes across trials provides limited new evidence to inform non-surgical management [14].
- Conservative treatment is effective for the treatment of frozen shoulder regardless of the severity of symptoms [45].
- Intra-articular steroid injection is effective and safe for frozen shoulder, relieving pain, improving functional performance, and increasing range of motion [48].
- Multisite corticosteroid injection therapy is more effective than single intra-articular injection in terms of pain relief, restoration of motion, and functional status for primary frozen shoulder [46].
- Both multisite and single glenohumeral injections of corticosteroid are effective in patients with primary frozen shoulder [49].
- Ultrasound-guided administration of corticosteroid injections into the glenohumeral joint increases the likelihood of successful injection but does not improve clinical outcomes at 12 weeks compared with blind administration [52].
- Ultrasound-guided multisite injection is a nonsurgical treatment technique for frozen shoulder that emphasizes correct injection sites [72].
- Hydrodilatation has emerged as a potential nonsurgical option in the management of frozen shoulder, but its role has yet to be fully clarified [60].
- Management of frozen shoulder stage II to III using hydrodistension and a guided exercise programme by physiotherapists in primary care is an effective non-operative treatment strategy [66].
- Recurrence of frozen shoulder after hydrodilatation was more common in primary (33%) versus secondary (16%) frozen shoulder [34].
- A central nervous system-focused treatment approach is being evaluated in a randomized clinical trial to compare effectiveness against standard medical and physical therapy care [42].
- The comparative effectiveness of low-level laser therapy versus muscle energy technique is being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial to determine the optimal treatment approach for frozen shoulder related to diabetes [47].
Operative and Procedural Management
- Secondary frozen shoulder may be more recalcitrant to conventional conservative treatment [64].
- The study on arthroscopic capsular release timing adds information for shared decision-making but should not be a plea for surgery for patients with a mean duration of symptoms of 4 months; a strict definition of recalcitrant idiopathic frozen shoulder is needed to prevent unnecessary interventions [10].
- The arthroscopic 360° release is an effective and safe treatment modality for severe or recalcitrant frozen shoulder [53].
- A combination of limited capsular release and manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA) for primary frozen shoulder is a safe and effective procedure resulting in marked improvement in pain, function, and range of motion [55].
- The mid-term outcomes of transcatheter arterial micro embolization (TAME) for frozen shoulders resistant to conservative treatments are encouraging and warrant further evaluation [50].
- Manipulation under anesthesia versus physiotherapy treatment in stage two of a frozen shoulder is being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial to provide evidence on the best treatment strategy [51].
- Different treatment strategies for frozen shoulder may be appropriate depending on the location of pathology [9].
Complications
- Frozen shoulder is a painful and debilitating condition [6].
- Frozen shoulder causes significant morbidity [21].
- The natural history of primary frozen shoulder consists of three phases: pain, stiffness, and thawing [3].
- Primary frozen shoulder usually resolves spontaneously after about 18 months [4].
- Without treatment, motion return in primary frozen shoulder is gradual and may never objectively return to normal [3].
- In the long term, 41% of patients with frozen shoulder report some ongoing symptoms [30].
- Postoperative frozen shoulder is a serious complication after shoulder surgery with an incidence of 11% [54].
- Preoperative frozen shoulder negatively affects functional outcomes, including range of motion, at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair [33].
- Preoperative frozen shoulder positively affects rotator cuff healing [33].
- Patients with diabetes should be monitored more closely for frozen shoulder, as they may experience persistent pain or lack of function long-term [8].
- An age between 46 and 60 years is a statistically significant risk factor for developing frozen shoulder after simple arthroscopic shoulder procedures [29].
- A previous history of contralateral frozen shoulder is a statistically significant risk factor for developing frozen shoulder after simple arthroscopic shoulder procedures [29].
- Most patients clinically diagnosed with primary frozen shoulder have undiagnosed systemic abnormalities and/or intra-articular pathologies [5].
- Recurrence of frozen shoulder after manipulation under anaesthetic (MUA) can occur, but late recurrence is uncommon [22].
- Patients with poor outcomes or recurrent symptoms after MUA can be offered a further MUA with an expectation of good outcome and low complication rate [17].
Recovery
- Phase I (Pain) involves a gradual onset of diffuse shoulder pain that is progressive over weeks to months [3].
- Pain in Phase I is usually worse at night and exacerbated by lying on the affected side [3].
- Phase II (Stiffness) usually lasts 4 to 12 months [3].
- During Phase II, patients restrict movement to seek pain relief, leading to difficulty with activities of daily living such as reaching back pockets or fastening brassieres [3].
- Phase II is accompanied by a dull ache present nearly all the time, especially at night, and sharp pain during range of motion at or near new endpoints [3].
- Phase III (Thawing) lasts for weeks or months, during which motion increases and pain diminishes [3].
- Without treatment, motion return in Phase III is gradual in most patients [3].
- Objective motion may never return to normal, although most patients subjectively feel near normal due to compensation or adjustment in activities of daily living [3].
- Frozen shoulder affects approximately 4% of the general population and up to 59% in patients with diabetes mellitus [24].
- In the long term, 59% of patients with frozen shoulder have normal or near normal shoulders [30].
- 94% of patients with spontaneous frozen shoulder recover to normal levels of function and motion without treatment [69].
- Idiopathic frozen shoulder is a self-limiting condition in which symptoms subside and full shoulder movement returns within a maximum of two years from the onset of symptoms [88].
- Long-term outcome after manipulation under anaesthetic (MUA) for frozen shoulder is favourable with late recurrence being uncommon [22].
- Patients with poor outcome or recurrent symptoms after MUA should be offered a further MUA with the expectation of a good outcome and a low complication rate [17].
- Arthroscopic capsular release leads to a faster and long-lasting recovery in patients with refractory primary frozen shoulder syndrome [35].
- The long-term results of arthroscopic capsular release in frozen shoulder were confirmed in 255 patients [36].
- MUA in stage 2 frozen shoulder results in a faster recovery of range of motion and improved functional outcome compared to physiotherapy alone in the short term [68].
- MUA in stage 2 frozen shoulder can be considered safe compared to physiotherapy alone in the short term [68].
- Early surgical intervention might shorten the overall duration of symptoms in frozen shoulder [19].
- Early surgical intervention is not associated with inferior clinical outcomes when compared with late surgical intervention [19].
- Timing has a significant influence on the outcome of manipulation for frozen shoulders [90].
- Diabetes is a poor prognostic factor for the conservative treatment of frozen shoulder [82].
- Male sex is a poor prognostic factor for the conservative treatment of frozen shoulder [82].
- Simultaneous bilateral involvement is a poor prognostic factor for the conservative treatment of frozen shoulder [82].
- Subsequent bilateral involvement is a poor prognostic factor for the conservative treatment of frozen shoulder [82].
- A longer duration of symptoms recorded at the first visit is a poor prognostic factor for the conservative treatment of frozen shoulder [82].
- Preoperative frozen shoulder negatively affected most functional outcomes, including range of motion, at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair [33].
- Preoperative frozen shoulder positively affected rotator cuff healing after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair [33].
Key Evidence
- [L4] A detailed clinical history and examination is critical in the assessment of a painful, stiff shoulder. [1] (10.1186/1477-7800-2-2)
- [L1] This updated guideline provides evidence-based guidance for managing frozen shoulder and identifies key areas for future research. [2] (10.1177/17585732251335955)
- [L4] Most patients clinically diagnosed with primary frozen shoulder had undiagnosed systemic abnormalities and/or intra-articular pathologies. [5] (10.5397/cise.2018.21.2.82)
- [Paper] Frozen shoulder is a specific, painful and debilitating condition effecting patients mainly in middle age. [6] (10.1016/j.maturitas.2014.02.009)
- [L4] MR findings in frozen shoulder should not replace clinical judgments regarding further prognosis and treatment decisions. [7] (10.1007/s00167-015-3887-y)
- [L2] If high-quality studies can confirm the findings of this review, then clinicians should monitor frozen shoulder patients with diabetes more closely and offer further treatment if pain or lack of function persist long-term. [8] (10.1016/j.arrct.2021.100141)
- [L5] Different treatment strategies for frozen shoulder may be appropriate, depending on the location. [9] (10.1016/j.jse.2018.03.010)
- [L5] The study adds information for shared decision-making but should not be a plea for surgery for patients with a mean duration of symptoms of 4 months; a strict definition of recalcitrant idiopathic frozen shoulder is needed to prevent unnecessary interventions. [10] (10.1177/2325967120903710)
- [L2] This is clinically relevant in diagnostically challenging cases, for instance in the first phase of frozen shoulder, which can be difficult to distinguish from subacromial impingement. [11] (10.1007/s00167-020-05937-2)
- [L5] Frozen shoulder is a poorly understood condition that typically involves substantial pain, movement restriction, and considerable morbidity. [12] (10.1016/j.math.2014.07.006)
- [L1] The variety of participants included/excluded in trials and the variety of methods, interventions and outcomes used across the trials provided limited new evidence to inform the non-surgical management and treatment of people with frozen shoulder. [14] (10.2340/16501977-2578)
- [L4] The etiology of frozen shoulder is still not known and our understanding of the pathogenesis is limited. [15] (10.3109/03009749009096786)
- [L4] Health professionals manage frozen shoulders differently for different phases of the condition. [16] (10.1111/j.1758-5740.2010.00073.x)
- [L4] Patients with a poor outcome or recurrent symptoms of a frozen shoulder after a MUA should be offered a further MUA with the expectation of a good outcome and a low complication rate. [17] (10.1302/0301-620x.99b6.bjj-2016-1133.r1)
- [L3] Early surgical intervention might shorten the overall duration of symptoms in frozen shoulder and is not associated with inferior clinical outcomes when compared with late surgical intervention. [19] (10.1016/j.jse.2020.07.023)
- [L4] Frozen shoulder is a common disease which causes significant morbidity. [21] (10.5312/wjo.v6.i2.263)
- [L3] Long-term outcome after MUA for frozen shoulder is favourable with late recurrence being uncommon. [22] (10.1177/17585732211070007)
- [L5] Unusual stiffness and pain in the shoulder of a young female patients suggests a wide range of disease entities, from simple frozen shoulder to (albeit rarely) infection. [23] (10.1016/j.radcr.2020.08.006)
- [L1] This systematic review presents a summary of what is currently known about the tissue pathophysiology of primary frozen shoulder. [25] (10.1186/s12891-016-1190-9)
- [L4] Frozen shoulder is a painful and debilitating condition with considerable economic impact; treatment aims to improve pain and function through a shared decision-making process, with a step-up approach from conservative measures to invasive treatments if symptoms persist. [28] (10.1177/1758573215601779)
- [L3] An age of between 46 and 60 years and a previous history of contralateral frozen shoulder were statistically significant risk factors. [29] (10.1302/0301-620x.97b7.35387)
- [L3] In the long term, 59% of patients had normal or near normal shoulders and 41% reported some ongoing symptoms. [30] (10.1016/j.jse.2007.05.009)
- [L4] Therefore, routine use of shoulder MRI scans in patients with FS but without suspicion of an additional pathology may not be indicated. [31] (10.1016/j.jseint.2022.05.009)
- [L1] There is insufficient evidence to reliably recommend a treatment approach for frozen shoulder. [32] (10.1136/bmj.i4162)
- [L3] Preoperative frozen shoulder positively affected rotator cuff healing but negatively affected most functional outcomes, including ROM, at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. [33] (10.1177/2325967120934449)
- [L4] Further treatment was indicated in 41% of patients who could not tolerate more than 20 mL of injection, and recurrence was more common in primary (33%) versus secondary (16%) frozen shoulder. [34] (10.1177/17585732221124914)
- [Paper] In patients with refractory primary frozen shoulder syndrome, arthroscopic capsular release emerges as a suitable option that leads to a faster and long-lasting recovery. [35] (10.1016/j.eats.2015.06.004)
- [L4] The long-term results of arthroscopic capsular release in frozen shoulder were confirmed in 255 patients. [36] (10.1186/s13018-018-0758-5)
- [L4] Imaging is an essential tool for evaluation of patients with shoulder pain; understanding the extent of an injury with imaging is key to successful management. [37] (10.1016/j.csm.2013.03.009)
- [L4] However, classification of frozen shoulder was found to be controversial. [38] (10.4055/cios.2020.12.1.60)
- [L4] Frozen shoulder following COVID-19 vaccination may present with clinical features similar to those of idiopathic frozen shoulder. [39] (10.1016/j.xrrt.2023.09.013)
- [L2] Misdiagnosing shoulder tumors as frozen shoulder syndrome is likely to cause a significant delay in making a correct diagnosis. [40] (10.1016/j.jse.2009.05.010)
- [L4] Frozen shoulder can occur after COVID-19 vaccination, and musculoskeletal specialists should be aware of this diagnosis to identify and treat such patients early. [41] (10.1016/j.jseint.2022.02.013)
- [Paper] The trial aims to compare the effectiveness of a CNS-directed treatment program versus standard medical and physical therapy care on outcomes in participants with frozen shoulder. [42] (10.1186/s13063-019-3585-z)
- [L4] The survey shows lower rates of agreement among the JSS members than the ASES members for the definition of primary frozen shoulder, the classification of primary and secondary frozen shoulder, and the divisions of secondary frozen shoulder. [43] (10.1016/j.jos.2018.12.012)
- [L4] Symptomatic subjects demonstrated substantial kinematic deficits during humeral range of motion. [44] (10.1016/s0003-9993(03)00359-9)
- [L3] Conservative treatment is effective for the treatment of frozen shoulder. [45] (10.1016/j.asmr.2025.101149)
- [Commentary] Multisite corticosteroid injection therapy is more effective in terms of pain relief, restoration of motion, and functional status than single intra-articular injection for the treatment of primary frozen shoulder. [46] (10.1016/j.arthro.2021.02.028)
- [L2] The findings of the study may provide evidence on the efficacy of these interventions and most likely, the optimal treatment approach for frozen shoulder related to diabetes, which may guide clinical practice. [47] (10.1186/s13018-024-04735-7)
- [L1] Intra-articular steroid injection is effective and safe for frozen shoulder, relieving pain, improving functional performance, and increasing range of motion. [48] (10.1177/0363546516669944)
- [L1] Both treatments were effective in patients with primary frozen shoulder. [49] (10.1016/j.arthro.2021.01.069)
- [Abstract] The mid-term outcomes of TAME for frozen shoulders that were resistant to conservative treatments are encouraging and warrant further evaluation. [50] (10.1016/j.jse.2016.11.031)
- [L2] Successful completion of this trial will provide evidence on the best treatment strategy for patients with a stage two frozen shoulder. [51] (10.1186/s12891-017-1763-2)
- [L1] In patients with frozen shoulder, US-guided administration of corticosteroid injections into the glenohumeral joint increased the likelihood of successful injection but did not improve clinical outcomes at 12 weeks compared with blind administration. [52] (10.2106/jbjs.21.01007)
- [L4] The arthroscopic 360° release is an effective and safe treatment modality for severe or recalcitrant frozen shoulder. [53] (10.1016/j.jseint.2024.07.006)
- [L2] Postoperative frozen shoulder is a serious complication after shoulder surgery, with an incidence of 11%. [54] (10.1007/s00402-016-2589-3)
- [L4] A combination of limited capsular release and MUA for the treatment of primary frozen shoulder is a safe and effective procedure resulting in marked improvement in pain, function and range of motion. [55] (10.1177/1758573215578590)
- [L4] Physicians should re-examine frozen shoulder patients with repeated plain radiographs and further imaging, especially MRI, if conservative therapy fails. [56] (10.1016/j.jse.2011.07.026)
- [L4] This survey summarized the trend in prevalent practices regarding frozen shoulder among shoulder specialists and senior shoulder surgeons of SESI, revealing strong consensus on imaging and nonoperative management but disagreement on terminology and specific surgical complications. [57] (10.1177/23259671221118834)
- [L4] MR arthrography reveals characteristic findings in patients with frozen shoulder. [58] (10.1148/radiol.2332031219)
- [L3] The anatomical structure of passive shoulder restraints has no impact on the difference in passive joint position sense values between external and internal rotation. [59] (10.1186/s12891-016-0971-5)
- [L5] Hydrodilatation has emerged as a potential nonsurgical option in the management of frozen shoulder, but its role has yet to be fully clarified. [60] (10.1302/2058-5241.2.160061)
- [L5] This scoping review outlines the complexity of the pathophysiology of frozen shoulder and provides a comprehensive overview of pathophysiologic mechanisms. [62] (10.1186/s40634-020-00307-w)
- [L4] Secondary frozen shoulder may be more recalcitrant to conventional conservative treatment. [64] (10.1016/j.jor.2015.01.030)
- [L4] This service evaluation demonstrates that management of frozen shoulder stage II to III, as conducted by physiotherapists in a primary care setting utilizing hydrodistension and a guided exercise programme, represents an effective non-operative treatment strategy. [66] (10.1177/1758573217701063)
- [L1] MUA in stage 2 frozen shoulder can be considered safe and results in a faster recovery of range of motion and improved functional outcome compared to physiotherapy alone in the short term. [68] (10.1016/j.jseint.2023.11.004)
- [L4] We found 94% of patients with spontaneous frozen shoulder recovered to normal levels of function and motion without treatment. [69] (10.1007/s11999-011-2176-4)
- [L5] MUA and ACR are good treatment options for primary frozen shoulder; MUA is simpler but carries risks of serious complications, while ACR may be safer if performed by experienced surgeons and is convenient for patients with combined rotator cuff tears. [70] (10.5397/cise.2020.00311)
- [L5] T2 signal hyperintensity and axillary capsule thickening are characteristic of the early stages of frozen shoulder, although MRI alone cannot completely define the disease stage. [71] (10.1016/j.xrrt.2024.05.002)
- [L5] This technique is presented for the nonsurgical treatment of frozen shoulder, emphasizing correct injection sites. [72] (10.1016/j.eats.2022.06.020)
- [L4] The burning sign is an abnormal finding that appears in dynamic MRI of severe frozen shoulder. [73] (10.1016/j.jse.2016.06.003)
- [L2] There is limited evidence of the effectiveness of different forms of treatment used for frozen shoulder, with many studies evaluating treatment effects carrying a moderate to high risk of bias and omitting details of the duration of symptoms or the phase of the condition. [74] (10.1111/j.1758-5740.2010.00067.x)
- [L5] Pathomechanics of the frozen shoulder characterised by glenohumeral motion limitations should be considered complicated, as confirmed by high tension in the anteroinferior glenohumeral capsule and altered scapular motion. [75] (10.1016/j.jseint.2025.04.003)
- [L4] Dynamic MRI semiquantitatively demonstrated a reduction in abnormal blood flow and improvement in clinical results after MUC in patients with frozen shoulder. [77] (10.1016/j.jseint.2021.12.007)
- [L4] Patients with frozen shoulder presented with altered shoulder muscle activity and kinematics, and one-session of heat and manual muscle release showed beneficial effects on shoulder muscle performance, kinematics, mobility, and pain. [78] (10.1186/s12891-017-1867-8)
- [L3] The thickness of the inferior glenohumeral joint capsule in the 80° scapular plane elevated arm position was shown to be a highly reliable and valid method. [79] (10.1016/j.jseint.2024.06.004)
- [L4] SHR of the affected shoulder is inversely related to severity of limitation of shoulder range of motion, which suggests a compensatory pattern. [80] (10.1016/j.jbiomech.2007.09.004)
- [L4] Clinical improvement in patients with frozen shoulder was associated with a decrease in the coefficient of enhancement (CE) in the glenohumeral synovium. [81] (10.1007/s00776-004-0766-7)
- [L2] Diabetes, male sex, simultaneous bilateral involvement, subsequent bilateral involvement, and a longer duration of symptoms recorded at the first visit were identified as poor prognostic factors for the conservative treatment of frozen shoulder. [82] (10.1016/j.jos.2019.03.011)
- [L2] Our MR analysis suggests that there may be a causal relationship between hypothyroidism and frozen shoulder. [85] (10.1186/s12891-024-07826-y)
- [L1] Patients who underwent image-guided (ultrasound) injections had statistically significant greater improvement in shoulder pain and function at 6 weeks after injection compared to blind injections. [86] (10.1186/1471-2474-12-137)
- [L4] MR imaging of patients with severe frozen shoulder after MUC showed 29 capsule tears, 4 labrum tears, and 15 bone bruises of the humeral head. [87] (10.1016/j.jse.2015.06.019)
- [L4] In the great majority of patients idiopathic frozen shoulder is a self-limiting condition, in which symptoms subside and full shoulder movement returns within a maximum of two years from the onset of symptoms. [88] (10.2106/00004623-197860040-00030)
- [L4] In the great majority of patients idiopathic frozen shoulder is a self-limiting condition, in which symptoms subside and full shoulder movement returns within a maximum of two years from the onset of symptoms. [89] (10.2106/00004623-197860040-00029)
- [L4] Timing has a significant influence on the outcome of manipulation for frozen shoulders. [90] (10.1016/j.jos.2020.11.002)
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