Evaluation of the Stiff Shoulder.

Causes of shoulder stiffness

Many causes

The normally supple capsule around the joint can become stiff--a condition known as frozen shoulder. Frozen shoulders can come on after a period of disuse of the arm. A frozen shoulder can also come on for no apparent reason at all. Frozen shoulders can be particularly severe in individuals with diabetes.

Shoulder stiffness can also result when the normal gliding surfaces of the shoulder become scarred after injury or surgery--a condition known as post-traumatic stiff shoulder.

The shoulder can become stiff because the joint surfaces have lost their normal smoothness--as in arthritis.

Finally, shoulder motion can be restricted by limited scapulothoracic motion (motion between the shoulder blade and the chest wall). Scapulothoracic range of motion can be limited by such factors as sternoclavicular arthritis, acromioclavicular arthritis, contracture, rib or scapular fracture, post-traumatic scarring, tumor, dislocation, or other factors disrupting the scapulothoracic motion interface.

Movie

• The normally supple capsule around the joint (0.24 MB)

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