DR Medhat MRCP

Adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder):
- Is a common cause of shoulder pain.
- It is most common in middle-aged patients.
- The aetiology of frozen shoulder is not fully understood.
• Associations
Diabetes mellitus: up to 20% of diabetics may have an episode of frozen shoulder.
• Features
External rotation is affected more than internal rotation or abduction
Both active and passive movement are affected
Patients typically have a painful freezing phase, an adhesive phase and a recovery
phase
Bilateral in up to 20% of patients
The episode typically lasts between 6 months and 2 years
• Management
No single intervention has been shown to improve outcome in the long-term
Treatment options include :
o NSAIDs
o Physiotherapy
o oral corticosteroids
o Intra-articular corticosteroids
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