Corticosteroid vs. Exercise for Frozen Shoulder: A Randomized Trial .
This report has been verified
by one or more authors of the
original publication.
Oral corticosteroids vs. exercises on treatment of frozen shoulder: a randomized, single-blinded study.
J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2023 Jun;32(6):1127-1134.41 patients with frozen shoulder were randomized to receive 6 weeks of structured exercise (n=20) or 4 weeks of oral corticosteroid (n=21). The primary outcome of interest was the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score. Secondary outcomes of interest included the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Score (ASES), range of motion, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HADS) scores. The exercise group significantly outperformed the oral corticosteroid group, resulting in better abduction and external range of motion. While no other statistically significant differences were observed, the exercise group demonstrated better range of motion, function, and depression/anxiety scores than the corticosteroid group. This suggests that exercise is the preferred option over oral corticosteroid for frozen shoulder. However, given the small sample size, a larger trial exploring various regimens of oral corticosteroid is of interest.
Unlock the Full ACE Report
You have access to 4 more FREE articles this month.
Click below to unlock and view this ACE Reports
Unlock Now
Critical appraisals of the latest, high-impact randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews in orthopaedics
Access to OrthoEvidence podcast content, including collaborations with the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, interviews with internationally recognized surgeons, and roundtable discussions on orthopaedic news and topics
Subscription to The Pulse, a twice-weekly evidence-based newsletter designed to help you make better clinical decisions
Exclusive access to original content articles, including in-house systematic reviews, and articles on health research methods and hot orthopaedic topics
