Objectives: To evaluate the outcome of patients with idiopathic frozen shoulder who were
treated with intra-articular injection of methylprednisolone.
Patients and methods: A Descriptive case- series study conducted at Orthopaedic Surgery Unit Mardan Medical Complex Teaching hospital Bacha Khan Medical College Mardan KPK, from September 2010 to June 2011, enrolled 27 patients of frozen shoulder(Adhesive Capsulitis) using the diagnostic guidelines for shoulder complaints issued by the Dutch College of General Practitioners.1,2 All patents were injected with 80mg of Methylprednisolone into the shoulder joint and were followed at six weeks and twelve weeks for improvement in pain using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Abduction and External rotation. Patients with little improvement at six weeks were given another injection.
Results: A total of 27 patients were included in our study. The average age was 51.4 years with
median 49 and mode 41.Ninteen (70.3%) patients received one injection and the remaining
8(29.6%) a second injection of methylprednisolone. The average pain score on Visual Analogue
Scale (VAS) was 6 at the beginning of treatment which improved to 2 at the end of follow up.
The range of motion similarly improved; abduction from 45degrees to 100 degrees (average gain
55 degrees) and external rotation from 30 degrees to 90 degrees (average gain 60 degree).
Conclusion: Intra-articular steroid injection is effective in improving the range of movement and
decreasing pain in frozen shoulder.
Key words: Frozen shoulder, adhesive capsulitis, intra-articular injection.
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