Clinical Symptoms and Physical Examinations

The stiff and painful shoulder is described in many ways: frozen shoulder, stiff shoulder, and adhesive capsulitis. In this chapter, two different entities were defined: a stiff and painful shoulder, developing without any trauma or specific shoulder disease, further referred to as “frozen shoulder,” and stiff and painful shoulder occurring during or as sequence of another condition in or around the shoulder joint, further referred to as “shoulder stiffness” or “stiff shoulder.” Specific differences in history, clinical symptoms, and imaging are discussed.