Adhesive capsulitis

Background

• Also known as "frozen shoulder syndrome"
• Inflammation of glenohumeral joint → joint capsule fibrosis, shoulder restriction
• Must rule-out posterior shoulder dislocation
• Associated with:
  • Impingement Syndrome
  • Postmenopause
  • DM
  • Thyroid disease
  • Pulmonary neoplasm
  • Autoimmune

Clinical Features

• Stage 1 (first 2-3mo)
  • Acute synovial inflammation with limitation of shoulder movement due to pain
• Stage 2 (months 3-9)
  • "Freezing stage"
    • Decreased shoulder motion due to capsular thickening/scarring; patient has chronic pain
• Stage 3 (months 9-15)
  • "Frozen stage"
    • Less pain, but significantly decreased range of motion
• Stage 4 (months >15)
  • Minimal pain, progressive improvement in shoulder range of motion

Evaluation

• Hallmark is limited active and passive range of motion
• Pain
  • Diffuse, aching, poorly localized, accompanied by stiffness, worse at night
  • Not typically reproducible by palpation

Differential Diagnosis

Shoulder and Upper Arm Diagnoses

Traumatic/Acute:

• Shoulder Dislocation
  • Anterior shoulder dislocation
  • Posterior shoulder dislocation
  • Inferior shoulder dislocation
• Clavicle fracture
• Humerus fracture
• Scapula fracture
• Acromioclavicular injury
• Glenohumeral instability
• Rotator cuff tear
• Biceps tendon rupture
• Triceps tendon rupture
• Septic joint

Nontraumatic/Chronic:

• Rotator cuff tear
• Impingement syndrome
• Calcific tendinitis
• Adhesive capsulitis
• Biceps tendinitis
• Subacromial bursitis

Refered pain & non-orthopedic causes:

• Referred pain from
  • Neck
  • Diaphragm (e.g. gallbladder disease)
• Brachial plexus injury
• Axillary artery thrombosis
• Thoracic outlet syndrome
• Subclavian steal syndrome
• Pancoast tumor
• Myocardial infarction
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary embolism

Management

• Avoid immobilization
• Analgesia
  • NSAIDs, opioids
• Oral steroids
  • Provide significant short-term benefit in terms of relieving pain and improving ROM

Disposition

• Refer to primary care for physical therapy

References

Authors

Jordan Swartz, Ross Donaldson, Neil Young, Jonathan Osgood, Claire, Daniel Ostermayer, Michael Holtz