Incidence of Frozen Shoulder Following Minor Rotator Cuff Injury
The provided evidence does not contain specific incidence data for frozen shoulder developing after minor teres minor or infraspinatus injuries.
What the Evidence Shows
The available guidelines and research do not report specific incidence rates for frozen shoulder following isolated minor rotator cuff injuries. The literature focuses primarily on frozen shoulder as a distinct entity or as a complication in specific contexts like stroke or post-surgical scenarios, rather than following minor rotator cuff trauma 1, 2, 3.
Context from Available Data
Frozen shoulder in stroke patients: The incidence of shoulder-hand pain syndrome (which can include adhesive capsulitis features) has been reported as high as 67% in stroke patients with combined motor, sensory, and visuoperceptual deficits 1, 2. However, this represents a neurologically-mediated process rather than post-traumatic development.
General frozen shoulder characteristics: Frozen shoulder typically presents as a condition of spontaneous onset with gradual increase in pain and limitation of glenohumeral motion 3. The pathophysiology involves synovial inflammation followed by capsular fibrosis, but the actual cause remains unknown 3.
Post-injury considerations: While the evidence discusses that rotator cuff tears can result from acute injury 1, and that shoulder pain can lead to frozen shoulder development 1, no specific incidence data links minor teres minor or infraspinatus injuries to subsequent adhesive capsulitis.
Clinical Implications
Prevention strategies matter more than incidence data in this context. For patients with rotator cuff injuries including teres minor or infraspinatus involvement, maintaining range of motion through active, active-assisted, or passive exercises is recommended to prevent secondary stiffness 2. Improving ROM through stretching and mobilization techniques, focusing especially on external rotation and abduction, serves as a means of preventing frozen shoulder 1.
Critical Gap in Evidence
The specific question regarding incidence rates following minor rotator cuff injuries represents an area where current guidelines and research provide insufficient data for a definitive answer.