Hormone Replacement Therapy as an Adjunct Treatment for Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder (Frozen Shoulder) in Peri- and Postmenopausal Women

Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder (ACS), also known as frozen shoulder, affects up to 5% of the population with most cases occurring in peri- and postmenopausal women. This condition is debilitating, negatively impacting quality of life, yet current treatments are insufficient. There are mechanistic studies and biological plausibility to suggest the onset of this condition is associated with hormonal involvement, specifically estrogen. Given hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is widely prescribed to women experiencing menopause-related symptoms, investigators propose using HRT as an adjunct treatment for ACS. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate patient-reported outcomes using the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score following treatment with HRT + standard care versus standard care alone. The secondary objective is to determine changes in range of motion (ROM) and functional workspace using both routine clinical metrics and a novel clinical marker-less movement analysis system. Investigators hypothesize that HRT can improve pain scores and ROM limitations in peri- and postmenopausal women who present with ACS. Investigators will recruit 60 women who are peri- or postmenopausal and employ a longitudinal randomized controlled trial to determine the effects of HRT + standard treatment on ACS symptom severity. All participants will receive standard care of physical therapy and a glenohumeral joint steroid injection; the experimental group will also receive HRT. Measures will be repeated after six months of treatments. Within- and between-group changes in pain scores, ROM, and functional workspace will be evaluated using repeated measures ANOVAs with Tukey's multiple comparisons test as indicated by treatment groups. An alpha level of 0.05 will be used to determine statistical significance for all measures. This pilot project will provide critical preliminary data to support future extramural funding applications to government agencies, foundations, and industry partners.