A Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial of Manipulation Under Anesthesia and Supervised Home Rehabilitation in the Treatment of Early Adhesive Capsulitis

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of two common treatments for early adhesive capsulitis, also known as frozen shoulder, in a multicenter randomized controlled trial. The study compares manipulation under anesthesia with supervised home rehabilitation to determine which approach better improves shoulder function and reduces symptoms. The trial is conducted in secondary hospitals and sponsored by the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the manipulation under anesthesia group, patients undergo a procedure where an experienced surgeon moves the shoulder through various angles under anesthesia, followed by an injection of medication. In the supervised home rehabilitation group, patients receive guided exercise training at outpatient visits with phased progression, including mobility and muscle resistance exercises, plus an injection at the clinic. Patients upload daily videos to a platform for doctor evaluation to monitor their recovery. Throughout the study, participants undergo assessments of shoulder function using the Constant-Murley Score at multiple time points up to one year after treatment. Additional measures include the Oxford Shoulder Score, fear-avoidance beliefs, insomnia severity, anxiety and depression scales, quality of life surveys (SF-36), pain ratings, and range of motion. These evaluations help researchers monitor progress, adherence, and safety. The study lasts at least one year with follow-up visits to assess long-term outcomes.

Conservative Treatment of Early Adhesive Capsulitis