Frozen Shoulder, Dupuytren's Cousin

Dupuytren's contracture and frozen shoulder share similar biology and many people with one condition will eventually develop the other. Frozen shoulder differs from Dupuytren's in that it is typically a painful condition with rapid onset, is more common in women and usually runs a limited course. It is similar in terms of its cellular biochemistry and in that it may result in permanent stiffness. Some of the differences may be due to the anatomic differences: the shoulder capsule physically moves more than the palmar fascia; there are sensory nerves in the shoulder capsule but not the palmar fascia. The topic of frozen shoulder is reviewed further in this clearly written review (full text: http://www.dupuytrenfoundation.org/DupPDFs/2005_Dias.pdf)

Dupuytren's and Associated Conditions

Dupuytren's is associated with three conditions, Ledderhose, Peyronie's and frozen shoulder. These all share a similar biology at a cellular level. Dupuytren's is also associated with other conditions, such as diabetes, alcoholism, epilepsy, advanced HIV for reasons which are less clear. Is Dupuytren's a risk factor for some of these other health issues or is it the other way around? This article reviews conditions associated with Dupuytren's and some thoughts on these associations: (full text: http://www.dupuytrenfoundation.org/DupPDFs/2005_Hart_1609.pdf). Although not discussed in this review, smoking tobacco also increases the risk of developing Dupuytren's disease, as discussed and referenced in this review (full text: http://www.dupuytrenfoundation.org/DupPDFs/2004_Conrad.pdf).