Perspectives, perceptions, and expectations of subjects with frozen shoulder: a web-based Italian survey.
Fabrizio Brindisino, Fabiola Garzonio, Andrea Turolla and 5 others
PMID 39660343WHAT IT FOUND
People with frozen shoulder prioritised night pain, movement recovery and reassurance; they wanted an empathetic physiotherapist who explained the condition, while many reported anger, fear, negative thoughts about pain and inadequate social support.
Key findings
01Most respondents preferred an experienced, empathetic and caring physiotherapist, and a majority wanted psychological aspects considered alongside anatomical aspects.
02Night pain, restoring full range of movement, sleep quality and autonomy in activities of daily living were rated very important by most participants.
03Many participants reported feeling angry, sad or overwhelmed after frozen shoulder onset, and many often thought they would never regain full arm elevation or that the pain was unbearable.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The survey questions were developed for this study and were not tested for accuracy or stability as a measurement tool. Answers were self-reported and may reflect current mood or a wish to appear acceptable, especially about clinicians. Participants were Italian-speaking and came from a single private physiotherapy practice and selected areas of Italy, so the results may not apply to other countries or settings. The survey captured one point in time, so it cannot show how views change during treatment or prove that any approach improves outcomes. Most participants were female, 72 of 110, aged 40 to 50 years, 47 of 110, and from northern Italy, 51 of 110, so other groups may be underrepresented.
Declared interests
The authors declared no competing interests, and the study received no specific grant from any funding agency.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these preferences as proof that empathetic communication or phone and text reminders improve recovery. This survey reports what participants said they wanted and felt; it did not test whether those approaches changed pain, movement, or function.