Editorial Commentary: Call for Evidence: How and When to Treat a Stiff Shoulder in Diabetics Requires Clarification.

The present study found a slower functional recovery after arthroscopic capsular release in patients with refractory frozen shoulder and diabetes. However, the study has some limitations: retrospective design, small study groups, and incomplete assessments. To better understand the disease and its proper treatment, one has to distinguish between idiopathic and secondary frozen shoulder. At present, little is known about both types of frozen shoulder, and randomized controlled trials are needed to compare surgical intervention with a conservative treatment at different stages of the disease.