The term frozen shoulder describes a disease of the shoulder joint capsule that is accompanied by adhesions and adhesions and shoulder capsule inflammation. Other terms for this clinical picture are: The disease usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 60 and affects women more often than men. A frozen shouder occurs in a quarter of patients on both sides. It is a degenerative disease, which is accompanied by pain in the shoulder area with simultaneous movement restriction of the shoulder joint.
- Adhesive capsulitis
- Capsulitis fibrosa
- Humerocapsulitis adhaesiva
- Periarthritis humeroscapularis
Symptoms
The clinical picture of the frozen shoulder is divided into three symptom stages: Other shoulder diseases which show similar symptoms and which might be of interest to you are, for example:
- The first stage is called “freezing shoulder”. First, sudden severe pain occurs during certain movements. Later, the pain manifests itself permanently, at rest and also at night.
This stage lasts about four months.
- The second stage (“frozen shoulder”) generally extends from the fourth to the eighth month. It is characteristic of this phase that the pain is only sporadic, but the mobility of the shoulder continues to decrease. Abduction in the shoulder joint is usually only possible up to about 90 degrees.
- The third stage is also known as the “tawing shoulder” and runs from the eighth month to several years.
The mobility of the shoulder improves again over time and the pain becomes less frequent. How long the last phase actually lasts varies greatly from case to case. However, the regeneration of the frozen shoulder can be greatly accelerated by appropriate physiotherapy.
- Shoulder Arthrosis
- Impingement Syndrome
- Calcified shoulder
How do I recognize a “frozen shoulder”?
A frozen shoulder can be recognized by its phased progression, the specific limitation of movement and the pain symptoms. Above all, the restriction in abduction in the shoulder joint and the initial severe pain, which also occurs at rest or at night, are a clear indication. The clinical picture must be distinguished from the differential diagnosis of subacromial impingement syndrome, omarthrosis and tendinosis calcarea. An x-ray in two planes or an MRI examination as well as various specific tests confirm the diagnosis.
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