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Updated: May 30, 2026
Clinical Efficacy of Small Needle Knife Therapy on Stage I-II Frozen Shoulder
Published on: November 17, 2023
Comparison of glenohumeral and subacromial steroid injection in primary frozen shoulder: a prospective, randomized
Joo Han Oh1, Chung Hee Oh, Jung-Ah Choi
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
Background:
Glenohumeral (GH) joint steroid injection is one of the most well-known treatments for frozen shoulder. However, the low accuracy of GH joint injections and the improvement of symptoms after subacromial (SA) steroid injections led us to design a study that compares the efficacy of a steroid injection for primary frozen shoulder according to the injection site.
Materials And Methods:
Patients with primary frozen shoulder were randomly divided into 2 groups according to the location of the injection: a GH group of 37 for the glenohumeral joint and an SA group of 34 for the subacromial space. Injections were completed using ultrasonographic guidance. Evaluations using a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, the Constant score, and passive range of motion (ROM) were completed at 3, 6, and 12 weeks after the injection.
Results:
The GH group showed lower pain VAS at 3 weeks, but no statistical difference was found between the 2 groups at 6 and 12 weeks. Improvement in pain was evident at every follow-up visit compared with the preinjection evaluation. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups with respect to the Constant score or ROM at serial follow-up.
Conclusions:
The GH steroid injection was not superior to a SA injection for patients with primary frozen shoulder even though injection at the GH joint led to earlier pain relief compared with the SA injection. SA steroid injection along with a GH injection is an alternative modality, and the treatment should be individualized and tailored appropriately.
