What is Adhesive Capsulitis—Closed Manipulation?

Adhesive capsulitis is a tightening in the shoulder joint. It decreases the range of motion in the shoulder and causes pain. The shoulder does not have full range of motion even when a therapist tries to move the shoulder. This condition is also known as frozen shoulder . It is caused by tightening of the soft tissue and formation of scar tissue.

During closed manipulation, the doctor moves the arm at the shoulder joint. This is done to break up adhesions and loosen the stiff joint. The goal of the procedure is to improve range-of-motion by breaking up scar tissue.

Frozen Shoulder © 2009 Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Your doctor may recommend closed manipulation if other methods of relief have failed. This procedure can relieve pain and stiffness for some patients. In others, there is still some pain and swelling in the shoulder joint. If the closed manipulation is not successful, you may need arthroscopic surgery .

Possible Complications

Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have a shoulder manipulation, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Pain
• Nerve injury
• Damage to soft tissue
• Instability or stiffness in joint
• Fracture
• Reaction to anesthesia used

Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

• Recent or chronic illness
• Certain medicines—especially those that increase bleeding (eg, aspirin )
• Smoking or alcohol use
• Previous shoulder surgery (may cause damage)

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Cough, trouble breathing, or chest pain
• Severe nausea or...