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Adhesive capsulitis
Background
Overview
Definition
Adhesive capsulitis, also known as frozen shoulder syndrome, is the thickening and contraction of the glenohumeral capsule that is characterized by pain, stiffness, and limited function of the glenohumeral joint.
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Pathophysiology
The cause of adhesive capsulitis is unknown; however, it is associated with a shoulder injury or surgery, diabetes, rotator cuff injury, cerebrovascular accident, or CVD.
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Disease course
The thickening and contraction of the shoulder capsule and inflammatory changes in the shoulder joint capsule result in adhesive capsulitis, which causes clinical manifestations of pain, stiffness, decrease in the ROM (with flexion, abduction, external and internal rotation) of the affected shoulder. The disease progresses through three phases, namely, painful, stiffness, and recovery or thawing stage.
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Prognosis and risk of recurrence
Adhesive capsulitis is not associated with an increase in mortality.
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Guidelines
Key sources
The following summarized guidelines for the evaluation and management of adhesive capsulitis are prepared by our editorial team based on guidelines from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP 2019), the American College of Radiology (ACR 2018), and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA 2013).
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