Common Causes of Frozen Shoulder

Us News & World Report

Some interesting facts about Frozen Shoulder… Frozen shoulder is more common in females ages 40 to 60. Among people over age 40, it affects 2% to 4% of the population. Frozen shoulder also occurs more often in people with certain health conditions, such as:

Diabetes: Frozen shoulder affects up to 25% of people with diabetes versus the 2% to 4% among the general middle-aged or older population, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Thyroid disease: It may be more common in those with thyroid disease due to the increased presence of inflammation.

Parkinson’s disease

When frozen shoulder is diagnosed in someone with diabetes, it’s often associated with uncontrolled blood sugars, says Dr. Anthony Miniaci, an orthopedic surgeon and deputy chief medical executive of Baptist Health Orthopedic Care in Florida. In fact, he previously helped discover diabetes in a patient who didn’t know they had it; the patient’s frozen shoulder diagnosis led to a check of blood sugar levels, which helped diagnose diabetes.

Anecdotally, Theresa Marko, a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy, owner of Marko Physical Therapy in New York City and a spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association Media Corps, has observed that frozen shoulder tends to occur more often in those who are going through a stressful time in their life. This could be due to increased inflammation in the body during periods of stress, like a new health diagnosis or significant life change.