Shoulder and Upper Limb Conditions

Question 1

What is another name for frozen shoulder?

Answer 1

Adhesive capsulitis

Question 2

Cause of adhesive capsulitis

Answer 2

Caused by acute inflammation of the glenohumeral joint, and then later there is fibrosis and contraction of the joint soft tissues
Typically happens due to injury

Question 3

Presentation of adhesive capsulitis

Answer 3

1st. Pain (freezing)
2nd. Stiffness (frozen)
3rd. Stiffness gradually improves (thawing)
Sore on any movement, loss of external rotation

Question 4

Risk factors for adhesive capsulitis

Answer 4

40-60yrs

Diabetes

Question 5

How long does adhesive capsulitis take to resolve?

Answer 5

18-24mnths

Question 6

Treatment for adhesive capsulitis

Answer 6

Analgesics
Physiotherapy
Gleno-humeral injections
Manipulation under anaesthetic (to rip scar tissue around the joint and speed up recovery for patients that can't tolerate function loss)
Surgical capsular release

Question 7

What is another name for Golfer’s elbow?

Answer 7

Medial epicondylitis

Question 8

What is medial epicondylitis?

Answer 8

Tendinopathy involving the flexor muscles of the forearm

Question 9

Cause of medial epicondylitis

Answer 9

Repeated strain or degeneration of the common flexor origin

Question 10

Presentation of medial epicondylitis

Answer 10

Painful and tender medial elbow
(tender point over the origin of the flexors at the medial epicondyle)
Pain is aggravated by wrist flexion and pronation
Pain is worse on grasping

Question 11

Medial epicondylitis can be associated with ____ nerve neuropathy

Answer 11

Ulnar

Question 12

Treatment of medial epicondylitis

Answer 12

Self-limiting
Rest
Physiotherapy
NSAIDs
Avoid injection (risks injury to the ulnar nerve)
Surgery (for refractory cases)