Frozen shoulder – colloquially called frozen shoulder – (Thesaurus synonyms: adhesive inflammation of the shoulder joint capsule, periarthritis humeroscapularis; synonyms: Adhesive enthesiopathy of the shoulder region; Adhesive inflammation of the shoulder joint capsule; Adhesive pericapsulitis of the shoulder; Adhesive shoulder peritendinitis; Adhesive shoulder tendinitis; Acute periarthritis humeroscapularis; Biceps groove syndrome; Chronic periarthritis humeroscapularis; Duplay bursitis; Duplay disease; Duplay periarthritis; Duplay syndrome; Frozen shoulder; Capsulitis of the shoulder; PAH [Periarthropathia humeroscapularis] – s. a. Periarthropathia humeroscapularis or s.a. Periarthritis humeroscapularis; Periarthritis of the shoulder; Periarthritis humeroscapularis; Periarthropathia humeroscapularis; Periarthropathia humeroscapularis acuta; Periarthropathia humeroscapularis calcarea; Periarthropathia humeroscapularis with limitation of motion; Periarthropathia humeroscapularis with unilateral head elevation; Periarthropathia humeroscapularis with calcification; Periarthropathia humeroscapularis with partial stiffness; Periarthropathia humeroscapularis simplex; Periarthrosis humeroscapularis; PHS [Periarthropathia humeroscapularis] – see. a. Periarthropathia humeroscapularis or s.a. Periarthrosis humeroscapularis or s.a. Periarthritis humeroscapularis; PHS [Periarthropathia humeroscapularis] syndrome; Shoulder adhesion; Shoulder joint adhesion; Secondary periarthritis humeroscapularis; Subacromial syndrome; Subscapular adhesion; Tenosynovitis in shoulder adhesion; ICD-10-GM M75. 0: Adhesive inflammation of the shoulder joint capsule) refers to painful frozen shoulder.
The term “frozen shoulder” includes conditions whose leading symptom is limited active and passive mobility of the shoulder.
Frozen shoulder can be divided into a primary (idiopathic) and a secondary form. The cause of the primary form is unknown; the secondary form often occurs after surgery, trauma (injury), and prolonged immobilization.
Sex ratio: males to females is 1: 2.
Peak incidence: the maximum incidence of frozen shoulder is in the 4th and 5th decade of life.
The prevalence (disease frequency) is 2-5 % (in Germany). The disease occurs on both sides in about 30% of patients.
Course and prognosis: The prognosis of the disease is usually favorable, but the duration of treatment is rather long. The therapy is cause-related. The therapy is cause-related. In idiopathic frozen shoulder, conservative treatment (physiotherapy, manual therapy, and analgesic or antiphlogistic medication/pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory drug therapy) is always attempted for at least three months.In the case of idiopathic frozen shoulder, the disease is self-limiting within 1-4 years in 80-90% of patients; however, functional deficits remain in 10-20%.