The
intraarticular injection of
lidocaine immediately before a physiotherapy session may relieve
pain during the stretching and mobilization of the affected joint in patients with a
frozen shoulder, thus enhancing the treatment effect. To compare the effects of
intraarticular injection of
lidocaine plus physiotherapy to that of physiotherapy alone in the treatment of a
frozen shoulder, a prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted in the rehabilitation department of a private teaching hospital. Patients with a
frozen shoulder were randomized into the
physiotherapy group or the
lidocaine injection plus physiotherapy (INJPT) group. The subjects in the INJPT group underwent injection of 3 ml of 1%
lidocaine into the affected shoulder 10 to 20 minutes before each physiotherapy session. In each group, the treatment lasted 3 months. The primary outcome measures were the active and passive range of motion of the affected shoulder. The secondary outcome measures were the results of the Shoulder Disability Questionnaire, the
Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). The outcome measures were evaluated before treatment and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 months after the start of treatment. The group comparisons showed significantly greater improvement in the INJPT group, mainly in active and passive shoulder range of motion in flexion and external rotation and improvements in
pain and disability (P < 0.05); however, no significant group difference was seen in the SF-36 results. The
intraarticular injection of
lidocaine immediately before a physiotherapy session might be superior to physiotherapy alone in the treatment of a
frozen shoulder. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01817348.