Patients with frozen shoulders may have substantial functional losses.

The age of patients with idiopathic frozen shoulders presenting to our service is typically between 43 and 63 years. In post-traumatic stiff shoulders the relationship of loss of motion to previous surgery or injury becomes evident from the history. In evaluating stiff shoulders it is essential to establish the circumstances surrounding the onset of stiffness the duration of the condition any tendency toward worsening or improvement and the possible existence of risk factors such as a period of immobilization metabolic disease (such as diabetes) or referred pain from the neck chest or abdomen. Scapulothoracic range of motion can be limited by such factors as sternoclavicular arthritis acromioclavicular arthritis contracture rib or scapular fracture post-traumatic scarring tumor dislocation or other factors disrupting the scapulothoracic motion interface.Ībout the Mechanics of Shoulder Stability: The capsule The shoulder can become stiff because the joint surfaces have lost their normal smoothness-as in arthritis.įinally shoulder motion can be restricted by limited scapulothoracic motion (motion between the shoulder blade and the chest wall). Shoulder stiffness can also result when the normal gliding surfaces of the shoulder become scarred after injury or surgery-a condition known as post-traumatic stiff shoulder. Frozen shoulders can be particularly severe in individuals with diabetes. A frozen shoulder can also come on for no apparent reason at all. Frozen shoulders can come on after a period of disuse of the arm. The normally supple capsule around the joint can become stiff-a condition known as frozen shoulder.

Most of the common causes of shoulder stiffness are related to problems between the humerus and scapula.

Normal shoulder range of motion