INCIDENCE AND EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ADHESIVE CAPSULITIS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Epidemiology
• Psychosomatic Medicine

Background:

• Adhesive capsulitis, commonly known as frozen shoulder, affects shoulder joint mobility.
• The COVID-19 pandemic introduced widespread lifestyle changes and increased stress levels globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the incidence of adhesive capsulitis during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To determine if there was a correlation between the pandemic and an increase in frozen shoulder cases.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1,983 patients with shoulder disorders.
• Comparison of adhesive capsulitis incidence between March 2019-February 2020 and March 2020-February 2021.
• Statistical analysis of patient demographics, comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, thyroid disorders, depression, anxiety), and frozen shoulder development.

Main Results:

• A 2.41-fold increase in adhesive capsulitis incidence was observed during the pandemic period (p < 0.001).
• Patients with depression had an 8.8-fold increased risk (p < 0.001), and those with anxiety had a 14-fold increased risk (p < 0.001) of developing frozen shoulder.
• A simultaneous increase in psychosomatic disorders was noted.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a significant increase in frozen shoulder incidence.
• Psychosomatic disorders, particularly depression and anxiety, are significant risk factors for developing frozen shoulder.
• Further prospective research is recommended to confirm these findings.