Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Clinical Symptoms and Physical Examinations

  • Chapter
Shoulder Stiffness

Abstract

The stiff and painful shoulder is described in many ways: frozen shoulder, stiff shoulder, and adhesive capsulitis. In this chapter, two different entities were defined: a stiff and painful shoulder, developing without any trauma or specific shoulder disease, further referred to as “frozen shoulder,” and stiff and painful shoulder occurring during or as sequence of another condition in or around the shoulder joint, further referred to as “shoulder stiffness” or “stiff shoulder.” Specific differences in history, clinical symptoms, and imaging are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Ahn KS, Kang CH, Oh YW, Jeong WK. Correlation between magnetic resonance imaging and clinical impairment in patients with adhesive capsulitis. Skeletal Radiol. 2012;41(10):1301–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Andrews JR. Diagnosis and treatment of chronic painful shoulder: review of nonsurgical interventions. Arthroscopy. 2005;21(3):333–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Anton HA. Frozen shoulder. Can Fam Physician. 1993;39:1773–8.

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Baslund B, Thomsen BS, Jensen EM. Frozen shoulder: current concepts. Scand J Rheumatol. 1990;19(5):321–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Brue S, Valentin A, Forssblad M, Werner S, Mikkelsen C, Cerulli G. Idiopathic adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder: a review. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2007;15(8):1048–54.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Cutts S, Clarke D. The patient with frozen shoulder. Practitioner. 2002;246(1640):730, 734–6, 738–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Dias R, Cutts S, Massoud S. Frozen shoulder. BMJ. 2005;331(7530):1453–6.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Diercks RL, Stevens M. Gentle thawing of the frozen shoulder: a prospective study of supervised neglect versus intensive physical therapy in seventy-seven patients with frozen shoulder syndrome followed up for two years. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2004;13(5):499–502.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Emig EW, Schweitzer ME, Karasick D, Lubowitz J. Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder: MR diagnosis. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1995;164(6):1457–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Hanchard NC, Goodchild L, Thompson J, O’Brien T, Davison D, Richardson C. Evidence-based clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, assessment and physiotherapy management of contracted (frozen) shoulder: quick reference summary. Physiotherapy. 2012;98(2):117–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Harrington JM, Carter JT, Birrell L, Gompertz D. Surveillance case definitions for work related upper limb pain syndromes. Occup Environ Med. 1998;55(4):264–71.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Hertel R. The frozen shoulder. Orthopade. 2000;29(10):845–51.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hsu JE, Anakwenze OA, Warrender WJ, Abboud JA. Current review of adhesive capsulitis. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2011;20(3):502–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Lundberg J. The frozen shoulder. Clinical and radiographical observations. The effect of manipulation under general anesthesia. Structure and glycosaminoglycan content of the joint capsule. Local bone metabolism. Acta Orthop Scand. 1969;Suppl 119:1–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Neviaser AS, Hannafin JA. Adhesive capsulitis: a review of current treatment. Am J Sports Med. 2010;38(11):2346–56.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Neviaser RJ, Neviaser TJ. The frozen shoulder. Diagnosis and management. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1987;223(223):59–64.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Noel E. Treatment of calcific tendinitis and adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder. Rev Rhum Engl Ed. 1997;64(11):619–28.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Noel E, Thomas T, Schaeverbeke T, Thomas P, Bonjean M, Revel M. Frozen shoulder. Joint Bone Spine. 2000;67(5):393–400.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Palmer K, Coggon D, Cooper C, Doherty M. Work related upper limb disorders: getting down to specifics. Ann Rheum Dis. 1998;57(8):445–6.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Schellingerhout JM, Verhagen AP, Thomas S, Koes BW. Lack of uniformity in diagnostic labeling of shoulder pain: time for a different approach. Man Ther. 2008;13(6):478–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Yoo JC, Ahn JH, Lee YS, Koh KH. Magnetic resonance arthrographic findings of presumed stage-2 adhesive capsulitis: focus on combined rotator cuff pathology. Orthopedics. 2009;32(1):22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Zuckerman JD, Rokito A. Frozen shoulder: a consensus definition. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2011;20(2):322–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Ronald L. Diercks

  2. Orthopaedic Department, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

    Tom Clement Ludvigsen

Authors
  1. Ronald L. Diercks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tom Clement Ludvigsen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ronald L. Diercks .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

    Eiji Itoi

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Instituto Argentino de Diagnóstico y Tratamiento, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Guillermo Arce

  3. Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    Gregory I. Bain

  4. Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Groningen Sports Medicine Center, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Ronald L. Diercks

  5. Taos Orthopaedic Institute Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Taos, New Mexico, USA

    Dan Guttmann

  6. Orthpaedic Sports Medicine, University of Munich Hospital Rechts der Isar, Munich, Germany

    Andreas B. Imhoff

  7. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UConn Musculoskeletal Institute, Farmington, Connecticut, USA

    Augustus D. Mazzocca

  8. Funabashi Orthopaedic Sports Med Cn Shoulder & Elbow Service, Chiba, Japan

    Hiroyuki Sugaya

  9. Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Gyeonggi-Do, Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

    Yon-Sik Yoo

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 ISAKOS

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Diercks, R.L., Ludvigsen, T.C. (2015). Clinical Symptoms and Physical Examinations. In: Itoi, E., et al. Shoulder Stiffness. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46370-3_13

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46370-3_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-46369-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-46370-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation