Frozen Shoulder: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Abstract

Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is a condition caused by impaired soft tissues and the articular capsule of the shoulder. Although the precise etiology remains unclear, recent evidence identifies elevated serum cytokine levels as part of the process. It is characterized by an insidious and progressive loss of active and passive mobility in the glenohumeral joint presumably due to capsular contracture. Several treatments are recognized and utilized to reduce pain and improve range-of-motion faster than the disease’s natural history course. The chapter aims to spread knowledge about this often-misunderstood pathology and to highlight the role of the rehabilitative therapeutic approach.