title: Surgical and non-surgical treatment of frozen shoulder. Survey on surgeons treatment preferences.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  frozen shoulder is a common condition and its management can be surgical or non-surgical. The aim was to determine current trends in the management of frozen shoulder amongst surgical members of the British Elbow and Shoulder Society (BESS).
  
  
  METHODS
  a single electronic questionnaire was emailed to surgical members of the BESS. Participants were asked about their surgical and non-surgical treatments of choice and the reasoning behind that, as well as which components of arthroscopic arthrolysis they favoured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  87 BESS members completed the questioner. The majority of respondents used physiotherapy as their preferred means of non-surgical management while arthroscopic arthrolysis was the most frequently used surgical intervention. A substantial proportion of surgeons based their choice on personal experience and training rather than published evidence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  management of frozen shoulder amongst surgeons varies substantially and is highly based on personal experience and training rather than strong evidence. Arthroscopic arthrolysis is a heterogeneous procedure with a wide variation in the use of its various components. Our results highlight the need for high quality clinical trials to compare the management options available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma & Orthopedics, Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Lancashire, UK.
authors.forename: Tariq Adam
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Kwaees
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Blackpool, UK; School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK; Institute of Inflammation and Repair, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Charalambos P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Charalambous
keywords: adhesive capsulitis; arthroscopic arthrolysis; frozen shoulder; shoulder surgery