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Question answered:21/09/07 Warning! this question is over two years old.
The NLH Q&A Service answered a closely related question in 2006 [1], which can be read via the URL below. That answer mentions physiotherapy and steroid injection. In the answer we used a 2005 BMJ review [2], which makes the following ‘key point’ with reference to physiotherapy and steroid injections:
“Physiotherapy alone is of little benefit, although steroid injection is effective and best combined with physiotherapy”
Since our previous answer the British Journal of General Practice has published (2007) “Shoulder adhesive capsulitis: systematic review of randomised trials using multiple corticosteroid injections.” [3], which concludes:
“The evidence suggested that multiple injections were beneficial until 16 weeks from the date of the first injection. Up to three injections were beneficial, with limited evidence that four to six injections were beneficial. No evidence was found to support giving more than six injections.”
Finally, eMedicine (an online eTextbook) has a chapter on adhesive capsulitis [4], which might be of interest.
With regard to exercise, all mention we found, related to physiotherapy.
References
1) http://www.clinicalanswers.nhs.uk/index.cfm?question=3578
2) http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/331/7530/1453
3) http://pmid.us/17688763
4) http://www.emedicine.com/PMR/topic8.htm
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