Diagnosis and clinical assessment of a stiff shoulder. Issue 2 (April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Armstrong, Alison
• Is Part Of: Shoulder & elbow. Volume 7:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 128
• Page End: 134
• Publication Date: 2015-04
• Subjects: diagnosis -- examination -- fracture -- frozen shoulder -- osteoarthritis -- stiff shoulder; Elbow -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Elbow -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Shoulder -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Shoulder -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Shoulder -- Periodicals; Elbow -- Periodicals; Shoulder Joint -- Periodicals; Elbow Joint -- Periodicals; 617.572005
• DOI: 10.1177/1758573215569340
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1758-5732

Abstract

The assessment of a stiff shoulder is explored, the necessary investigations to reach a diagnosis are discussed, and the likely causes that can contribute to a frozen shoulder are described. Two flow diagrams are included to help in reaching a conclusion when seeing a patient with a stiff shoulder. The key elements to reaching that conclusion are: carefully listening to the patients story, noting whether there has been a history of trauma, as well as a careful and thorough examination and a plain X-ray with two views.