Effect of Acupuncture in the Management of Frozen Shoulder: A Case Report

Abstract

Introduction: Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) is a common, self-limiting yet disabling musculoskeletal disorder marked by progressive pain and restriction of active and passive glenohumeral movement. Conventional management — analgesics, corticosteroid injection, and structured physiotherapy — gives variable and often slow relief, prompting growing clinical and research interest in acupuncture as a low-risk adjunct or alternative. Case presentation: A 56-year-old right-hand-dominant male presented with a four-month history of insidious- onset right shoulder pain and progressively restricted range of motion, without preceding trauma or known systemic disease, consistent with the freezing-to-frozen stage of primary adhesive capsulitis. Clinical diagnosis was made on history and examination; plain radiography excluded bony or degenerative pathology. The patient underwent a structured course of acupuncture using a combination of local (LI15, LI14, TE14, SI9, HT1 Ashi points) and distal (LI4, LI11, ST38, GB34) acupoints, twice weekly for six weeks (12 sessions), supplemented with a home stretching programme and no concurrent pharmacological or injection therapy. Outcomes: Pain on the Visual Analogue Scale fell from 7/10 at baseline to 1/10 at the end of treatment, the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index score improved from 78% to 18%, and goniometric range of motion in flexion, abduction, and external and internal rotation improved substantially. Gains were maintained at 12-week follow- up, and no adverse events were recorded beyond transient needle-site bruising. Conclusion: In this patient, a structured acupuncture protocol combined with home exercise was associated with clinically meaningful reductions in pain and disability and improved shoulder mobility. This case adds to a growing body of trial evidence supporting acupuncture as a reasonable, low-risk component of frozen shoulder management, while underscoring the need for controlled studies to establish causal efficacy.