Time for a new name for 'frozen shoulder'.

2004 was the 70th anniversary of the introduction by Codman of the term “frozen shoulder”. Perhaps, as Roy and colleagues (Roy et al 1982) have suggested, “the term frozen shoulder, which for too long has encouraged doctors to do as little as possible about this common and distressing condition, should be abolished”. Their view was shared by Neviaser, who argued that “the misnomer ‘frozen shoulder’ should be deleted from the medical literature”. (Neviaser 1980). For this reason frozen shoulder is termed adhesive capsulitis in the United States of America, although it turns out to have no adhesive and, as shall be seen, it turns out to be a capsular contracture rather than a capsulitis. The Germans call it Steiffschulter, which is honest, but perhaps too basic, and the French “capsulite retractile”, although, in fact, the capsule turns out to be contracted rather than retracted. Over the last twenty years a large body of research has been performed in order to understand and treat this common, enigmatic, protracted, painful and disabling condition. Perhaps it is now time to reflect on the progress that has been made over the last two decades into understanding and successfully treating this disease.