Study Summary

Two hundred ninety patients with adhesive capsulitis (AC) were randomized to receive suprascapular nerve block associated with physiotherapy or physiotherapy alone. The outcomes of interest were pain, shoulder function, and range of motion, assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) score, and digital goniometry. Other outcomes included forward flexion, external rotation, internal rotation, and need for surgery. The suprascapular nerve block group received four serial injections of 6 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine at 15-day intervals in addition to a standardized physiotherapy program. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and at 2, 4, and 6 months. Overall, the results of the study revealed that both groups demonstrated significant improvements over time in pain, function, and range of motion. However, suprascapular nerve block combined with physiotherapy was not statistically superior to physiotherapy alone at any follow-up point. These findings suggest that adding serial suprascapular nerve block to physiotherapy may not provide additional clinical benefit in the treatment of AC.