Hormone Therapy Prevents Shoulder Pain in Menopausal Women

Adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder is an orthopedic condition which causes shoulder pain and range-of-motion loss. It most commonly affects women between the ages of 40 and 60. Despite the paucity of information on the disorder’s propensity for perimenopausal women, a recent study indicated that hormone therapy may offer some protection. Even though adhesive capsulitis was initially identified almost a century ago, not much is known about its underlying ‘idiopathic’ origin. Women are more commonly affected by adhesive capsulitis, which frequently occurs without major shoulder damage. However, there are several related medical disorders, such as diabetes, thyroid dysfunction and breast cancer therapy. There is no proven preventive measure or sex-specific treatment for the ailment. However, steroid injections can lessen the intensity and length of the condition if it is identified in its early stages.

Effect of Hormone Therapy in Menopausal Women

The researchers in this new study with nearly 2,000 participants hypothesized that estrogen (or the absence of it) may have a role in the demographic most affected by adhesive capsulitis. Estrogen is known to play a role in musculoskeletal function by encouraging the growth and repair of muscles, stimulating the production of new bone, preserving the integrity of connective tissues and lowering inflammation. The researchers aimed to find out whether hormone therapy is protective against adhesive capsulitis in menopausal women because menopause is characterized by a decrease of estrogen and frequently occurs during the same age range (40-60 years).

The role of hormone therapy in the onset of adhesive capsulitis in menopausal women is being assessed in this study for the first time. It concluded that women not taking hormone therapy had a higher risk of developing adhesive capsulitis. Although the researchers feel that more research is required to fully assess this link, they think that this study was sufficient to support the idea that hormone therapy might be protective against the disease.

Hormone Therapy and Menopause

“Many menopause symptoms fall outside the FDA-approved indications for systemic hormone therapy, including those involving the musculoskeletal system. Our collaborative study between the Departments of Orthopedic Surgery and Ob/Gyn highlights this point and will hopefully lead to more research in this area,” says Dr Anne Ford, co-author of the study from Duke University Medical Centre.

“As a female Orthopedic surgeon in a field that is 94% male, I feel it is important to study sex-specific factors and treatment strategies that may benefit women with adhesive capsulitis. A disease that has such a strong predilection for women is unlikely to be truly idiopathic,” says Dr Jocelyn Wittstein, co-author of the study and faculty member of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Duke University Medical Centre.

“Hormone therapy has already been proven to effectively manage many other symptoms that accompany the menopause transition. This study suggests that there may be an additional benefit in its ability to protect women at menopause against adhesive capsulitis. More research is needed in this area because the disorder can significantly affect a woman’s range of motion and overall quality of life,” says Dr Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director.

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Source-Medindia