Simple home program for frozen shoulder to improve patients' assessment of shoulder function and health status

The purpose of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that a simple home program can improve the self-assessed shoulder function and health status of a group of patients with frozen shoulders.

A case series using a one-group pretest, posttest design analyzing 41 patients from a single orthopedic practice who had a frozen shoulder were included in this study. The patients completed the Simple Shoulder Test (SST) and the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire at the time of initial consultation, had treatment consisting of education regarding frozen shoulder and home stretching instructions, and were asked to complete the same questionnaires mailed every 6 months. Initial results were compared with previously published control values to establish level of impairment, and follow-up results were compared with the initial results to determine the extent of improvement.

Patients initially had serious deficits in the 12 shoulder functions inventoried by the SST and were also compromised in their general health status as reflected by the SF-36 scores. At follow-up, 4 of 10 SST functions were improved (P < 0.001). The SF-36 health status scores of physical function, comfort, and physical role function were also improved (P < 0.001).

These data suggest that this home program for frozen shoulder can lead to improved self-assessed shoulder function and health status in patients similar to those in the study population.