A ‘frozen shoulder’ is a chronic inflammation of the shoulder and surrounding soft tissues.
The shoulder is made up of bones, connective tissues, tendons and muscles, which connect the arm to the trunk. The shoulder joint (medical name: glenohumeral joint) is a ball-and-socket joint. The ‘bullet’ is the top, rounded part of the upper arm, and the ‘cavity’ is the cup-shaped part of the shoulder blade, the glenoid, into which the ball fits. This joint allows the arm to make rotational movements and move to and from the body.
The joint is surrounded by a joint capsule, which consists of a number of soft tissue bands. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that pull the upper arm into the shoulder blade. The rotator cuff muscles stabilize the shoulder joint and aid in the rotational movements of the arm.
A ‘frozen shoulder’ (medical name: adhesive capsulitis) is a chronic inflammation of the shoulder and surrounding soft tissues. This condition is often caused by injury, resulting in pain and reduced use of the shoulder. As the joint gradually hardens and stiffens, simple movements, such as raising the arm, become increasingly difficult. When inflammation occurs in the capsule itself, the shoulder bones within the joint can no longer move. In some cases, the patient can no longer move the shoulder at all.
The condition is rare in individuals younger than 40 years of age. An arthogram (X-ray of a joint) may be necessary for a definitive diagnosis. For treatment, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and physiotherapy are prescribed, among other things. In some cases, however, it can take up to a year for improvement to occur. In very severe cases, a keyhole surgery (arthroscopic surgery) with shoulder manipulation, under anaesthetic, may be necessary.
