Shoulder Stiffness

Shoulder stiffness is commonly encountered in clinical practice but varies greatly in severity and etiology. Loss of shoulder range of motion can be a patient's primary complaint or may be a secondary finding. Possible causes of stiffness include guarding due to pain or secondary gain issues (nonanatomic), true mechanical blockage due to acute or chronic trauma, adhesive capsulitis, rotator cuff disease, or surgery on or near the shoulder. This review includes a more detailed discussion of these causes as well as the appropriate history and physical and diagnostic testing recommended for each. Finally, treatment strategies for each group of patients will be presented.