Study Summary

Sixty-one patients with idiopathic frozen shoulder were randomized to receive either watchful waiting (n=31) or physical therapy (n=30). The primary outcome was the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score. Secondary outcomes included patient value (12-month ASES score divided by healthcare costs), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) scores, and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Overall, the results of the study revealed that both groups had significant improvements in PROMs with no statistically significant differences between groups. However, physical therapy incurred 10-fold higher costs and resulted in significantly lower patient value compared to watchful waiting. This study suggests that watchful waiting offers comparable outcomes to physical therapy but with substantially lower costs, thus providing greater healthcare value.