Frozen shoulder: Natural history and results

Aims: Etiology, natural history and therapy of the frozen shoulder still remains obscure. Therefore observation of natural history is of interest. Method: In a retrospective study 140 patients with different therapies were followed-up. Results: 28 (20%) patients were not considered as healed because of persisting complaints during the whole followup period with an average duration of 49 months. Mobilisation under anaesthesia (27 patients) showed an less improval in range of motion with a shortening of complaint period. Conclusion: The existence of a subgroup of patients with no response on regular therapy is assumed.