What are the most common symptoms of a frozen shoulder?

Written in association with: Mr Shyam Kumar
Published:
Edited by: Conor Lynch

In one of our latest medical articles here below, Mr Shyam Kumar, a highly regarded and established consultant orthopaedic and trauma surgeon, describes what frozen shoulder is, outlines the associated symptoms, and tells us how the shoulder condition is diagnosed and treated.

What is a frozen shoulder?

Frozen shoulder is a shoulder-affecting condition where the capsule of the shoulder joint contracts, resulting in the noticeable limitation of shoulder movement.

 

What are the symptoms of a frozen shoulder?

In the initial phase of the disease, patients tend to have more pain but later the stiffness tends to increase. Inability to reach objects above shoulder height is also another common complaint. Not being able to fully elevate the shoulder is a major symptom of frozen shoulder.

 

What causes frozen shoulder?

Frozen shoulder can be primary or secondary. The vast majority of cases are primary and there is no known cause. Sometimes, it can be associated with diabetes. Secondary frozen shoulder can happen when the shoulder is immobile for a long-time following injury or any other painful problems in the shoulder.

 

How is frozen shoulder diagnosed?

Frozen shoulder is generally diagnosed after a thorough medical history, a clinical examination, and the use of X-rays.

 

What are the treatment options for frozen shoulder?

Most patients can be treated with analgesics, physiotherapy+/-injections. Some resistant cases may need further interventions in the form of stretching the shoulder joint capsule with injection of saline (hydrodistension), manipulation of the shoulder under anaesthesia, or arthroscopic keyhole surgery.

 

How long does it take to recover from frozen shoulder?

The natural course of the disease can vary from one to three years, but this can be shortened by any of the above interventions.

 

If you wish to consult with Mr Shyam Kumar today, all you have to do is head on over to his Top Doctors profile to book an appointment with him there.

By Mr Shyam Kumar
Orthopaedic surgery

Mr Shyam Kumar is presently serving as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon specialising in upper limb surgery at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, based at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary since 2011. His private practice clinics are at The Lancaster Hospital (Circle Health Group).

After completing his training at the Mersey Deanery and the Welsh Orthopaedic training scheme, Mr Kumar attained fellowship status in Trauma & Orthopaedic surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons. He further honed his skills with a post-CCT fellowship in shoulder and elbow surgery at the renowned Shoulder and Elbow Unit at Northern General Hospital in Sheffield. This experience provided him with extensive exposure to various shoulder and elbow conditions.

During the final year of his training, he also worked at the upper limb unit at Wrightington Hospital. His tenure as a research fellow in hip fractures at the University of Leicester equipped him with the ability to analyse research summaries and draw meaningful conclusions. His primary areas of specialisation encompass disorders and injuries of the shoulder, elbow, hand, and wrist.

Over the years, Mr Kumar has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed journals, focusing on topics within the field of trauma and orthopaedics. He is recognised as a trainer for junior doctors and serves as an honorary lecturer at Lancaster University, where he plays a pivotal role in medical student education. Additionally, he fulfills the role of an examiner for the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh.

Mr Kumar is an integral member of the AAC (Appointments Advisory Committee) of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, which is involved in maintaining quality standards for the appointment of Orthopaedic consultants across various NHS Trusts in England and Wales. Notably, Mr Kumar has been appointed as a regional professional advisor for the Northwest region by the Royal College of Surgeons of England and serves as a member of the Specialty Board in Trauma & Orthopaedics at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

His expertise extends to clinical assessment as he has experience as a clinical assessor for the Practitioner Performance Advice and has undergone training in assessing doctors' performance on behalf of the General Medical Council. Since 2020, Mr Kumar has been a valued member of the Medicolegal committee of the British Orthopaedic Association. With an LLM in Medical Law and Ethics, he undertakes instructions from both defendant and claimant solicitors for clinical negligence and personal injury cases. For more information about Mr Kumar's clinical work, please visit www.upperlimbsurgery.net, and for details about his medicolegal services, you can explore www.medicolegalorthopaedics.com.

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