A 'frozen shoulder' literally means your shoulder has frozen up. This term describes very well what the problem is: the shoulder stiffens and thus becomes less and less mobile. People in their fifties are most frequently affected, but sometimes younger or older patients are also affected.
In frozen shoulder, the joint capsule, which is stretched like a bag around the shoulder joint, becomes thicker and less elastic. The shoulder capsule shrivels up, as it were, and this manifests itself in reduced mobility of the shoulder. The most typical is reduced ‘rotation’. The term ‘rotation’ means turning movements in the shoulder.
It becomes difficult for the patient to turn the hand/arm outwards, and also turning inwards (e.g. reaching for the back with the hand) becomes difficult or even impossible. Gradually, height movements are also restricted. In extreme cases, it is even difficult to touch the hair or head. The accompanying inflammation in the joint contributes to pain, which can be present day and night.
The cause of the condition is unknown. However, a distinction should be made between primary and secondary frozen shoulder.
Primary frozen shoulder means that the condition is present without triggering injuries in the shoulder joint. The condition is like a disease in itself that affects the shoulder joint.
Secondary frozen shoulder is a condition that occurs in the context of another shoulder condition: after a fracture with long immobilisation, in the event of tearing of the rotator cuff tendons in the shoulder, in the case of long-standing impingement and inflammation in and around the shoulder, after surgery on the shoulder, etc. Usually the stiffening here is due to insufficient movement in the shoulder joint, but this is not always the case.
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Your treating doctor will discuss the treatment options with you in detail.
