Diagnosis and clinical assessment of a stiff shoulder

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.