Editorial

Adhesive Capsulitis: A Reminder to Treat the Whole Patient

Authors: David F. Martin, MD

Abstract

As medicine has become more and more subspecialized, many physicians have developed a shortsighted approach to patient care. Our view narrows down to focus only on our subspecialty area, sometimes to the exclusion of conditions that need treatment. The article in this issue that evaluates the prevalence of diabetic conditions in patients with adhesive capsulitis illuminates this situation extremely well.1 Patients present to the orthopaedic surgeon with complaints primarily related to the shoulder; however, their primary need for treatment may be diabetes mellitus. Not only can diabetes cause problems when not treated, but early, effective treatment can limit the potentially disabling problems diabetes creates in other systems. By showing that diabetes has a high prevalence in patients presenting with adhesive capsulitis, the authors clearly demonstrate that, no matter how specialized physicians become, evaluating the whole patient is important.

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References

1. Tighe CB, Oakley WS. The prevalence of a diabetic condition and adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder. South Med J 2008;101:591–595.
 
2. Levine WN, Kashyap CP, Bak SF, et al. Nonoperative management of idiopathic adhesive capsulitis. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2007;16: 569–573.
 
3. Smith LL, Burnet SP, McNeil JD. Musculoskeletal manifestations of diabetes mellitus. Br J Sports Med 2003;37:30–35.
 
4. Arkkila PET, Kantola IM, Viikari JSA, Ronnermaa T. Shoulder capsulitis in type I and II diabetic patients: association with diabetic complications and related diseases. Ann Rheum Dis 1996;55:907–914.