Frozen ShoulderSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Frozen Shoulder
Frozen shoulder is a condition in which the shoulder is painful and loses motion because of inflammation.
Adhesive capsulitis; Shoulder pain - frozen
The capsule of the shoulder joint has ligaments that hold the shoulder bones to each other. When the capsule becomes inflamed, the shoulder bones are unable to move freely in the joint.
Most of the time, there is no cause for frozen shoulder. Women 40 to 70 years old are most affected, however, men can also get the condition.
Risk factors include:
- Diabetes
- Thyroid problems
- Changes in your hormones, such as during menopause
- Shoulder injury
- Shoulder surgery
- Open heart surgery
- Recent breast surgery
- Cervical disk disease of the neck
The main symptoms of a frozen shoulder are:
- Pain
- Decreased motion of the shoulder
- Stiffness
Frozen shoulder can start with pain without any cause or minor trauma. The pain may be severe and prevent you from moving your arm. This lack of movement can lead to stiffness and even less motion. Over time, you are not able to do movements such as reaching over your head or behind you.
Pain is treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroid injections. Steroid injections and physical therapy can improve your motion.
It can take a few weeks to see progress. It may take as long as 9 months to a year for complete recovery. Physical therapy may be intense and needs to be done every day.
Left untreated, the condition often gets better by itself within 2 years with little residual loss of motion. However, your other medical conditions may make the process last longer.
Risk factors for frozen shoulder, such as menopause, diabetes or thyroid problems, should also be treated.
Surgery is recommended if nonsurgical treatment is not effective. This procedure (shoulder arthroscopy) is done under anesthesia. During surgery the scar tissue is cut by bringing the shoulder through a full range of motion. Arthroscopic surgery can also be used to cut the tight ligaments and remove any scar tissue from the shoulder. After surgery, you may receive pain blocks (shots) so you can do physical therapy.
Follow instructions on caring for your shoulder at home.
Orthopedic Surgery Specialists - Denton
Paul Whatley is an Orthopedics provider in Denton, Texas. Dr. Whatley is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Frozen Shoulder. His top areas of expertise are Tendinitis, Frozen Shoulder, Osteoarthritis, Bursitis, and Hip Replacement.
Summit Orthopedics
Jeffrey Furmanek, D.O., is an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon at Summit Orthopedics specializing in shoulder and knee care, serving Minneapolis/St. Paul patients. He completed his fellowship training in arthroscopy and sports medicine at Michigan State University. “My training has taught me to understand that the human body is a complex sum of its parts with an innate ability to heal,” Dr. Furmanek explains. “My role as an orthopedic surgeon can be an important part of this natural process.” In addition to seeing individual patients, he cares for athletes at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, staffing football games, working with athletes in the training room, and caring for the student athletes throughout the year. Dr. Furmanek is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Frozen Shoulder. His top areas of expertise are Osteoarthritis, Tendinitis, Frozen Shoulder, Baker Cyst, and Hip Replacement.
Texas Health Orthopedic Specialists
Andrew Parker is a Sports Medicine specialist and an Orthopedics provider in Allen, Texas. Dr. Parker is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Frozen Shoulder. His top areas of expertise are Tendinitis, Osteoarthritis, Frozen Shoulder, Bursitis, and Hip Replacement.
Treatment with physical therapy and NSAIDs often restores motion and function of the shoulder within a year. Even untreated, the shoulder may get better by itself in 2 years.
After surgery restores motion, you must continue physical therapy for several weeks or months. This is to prevent the frozen shoulder from returning. If you do not keep up with physical therapy, the frozen shoulder may come back.
Complications may include:
- Stiffness and pain continue even with therapy
- The arm can break if the shoulder is moved forcefully during surgery
If you have shoulder pain and stiffness and think you have a frozen shoulder, contact your provider for evaluation, referral, and treatment.
Early treatment may help prevent stiffness. Contact your provider if you develop shoulder pain that limits your range of motion for an extended period.
People who have diabetes or thyroid problems will be less likely to get frozen shoulder if they keep their condition under control.
Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if the addition of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) to exercise is effective in improving pain, shoulder function, shoulder range of motion, and psychological factors in adults with frozen shoulder. The main questions this study aims to answer are: Does adding tVNS to exercise reduce shoulder pain ? Does adding tVNS to exercise improve shoul...
Summary: Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial embolization using 'Nexsphere-F' for pain relief in patients with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder joint that does not respond to conservative treatment. This study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial embolization using embolic agents in patients with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder joint. This...
Published Date: October 07, 2024
Published By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Frozen shoulder. orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/frozen-shoulder. Updated January 2024. Accessed November 13, 2024.
Barlow J, Mundy AC, Jones GL. Stiff shoulder. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR, eds. DeLee, Drez, & Miller's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 51.
Finnoff JT, Johnson W. Upper limb pain and dysfunction. In: Cifu DX, ed. Braddom's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 35.
Miller RH, Azar FM, Throckmorton TW. Shoulder and elbow injuries. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 46.