(English) Episode 241-The Shrink-Wrapped Nightmare of Frozen Shoulder

This medical review examines adhesive capsulitis, a condition frequently termed frozen shoulder that causes significant pain and immobility. The authors detail how the ailment progresses through freezing, frozen, and thawing stages, noting that while it was once considered self-limiting, many patients suffer from long-term functional deficits. Diagnosis relies primarily on clinical evaluation rather than imaging, specifically identifying a global loss of passive range of motion. Risk factors such as diabetes and thyroid disease are highlighted as indicators for potentially more severe or resistant cases. Management strategies focus on nonoperative care, including physical therapy, steroid injections, and hydrodilatation, to alleviate symptoms. Surgical options are reserved for the most persistent cases where conservative treatments fail to restore movement.(Achilova F, Daher M, Nassar JE, Daniels AH, Abboud JA. Frozen shoulder: Diagnosis and treatment of adhesive capsulitis. Am J Med [Internet]. 2026; Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2026.01.021)