Is it true that putting a plate in one's wrist would cause frozen shoulder?

Question

A friend of mine recently broke her wrist and was told by her doctor and surgeon that the reason they would not fix it with a plate was because it would cause her to develop a 'frozen shoulder'. This does not seem right to me.

Answer 1

Well I guess they are the professionals at the end of the day. All I can say to this is avoid a frozen shoulder at all costs. I had one and it took well over a year to improve. It was the most painful thing I have ever had in my life, and it made life very difficult. Even now, three years later, I don't have the same mobility in my right arm as I used to have.

Answer 2

you are correct in doubting that notion. an isolated wrist fracture requiring plate fixation should have no implications on the shoulder. i suppose if the person stopped using the entire arm including the shoulder and used a sling the entire time after having surgery on his/her wrist can get a frozen shoulder. but this can theoretically happen with any treatment to the wrist. a plate in the wrist should not correlate with shoulder function.
there must be some mis-communication with the docs which can easily happen. your friend should ask the surgeon again about the RISKS and BENEFITS of the surgery.

Answer 3

A frozen shoulder is caused by trauma to the shoulder or lack of movement in the shoulder. Having the wrist in a sling for a long timre could cause the shoulder to freeze however so could just having it cast if the arm is kept in a sling too long.

Hope this helps and your friend heals quick.

Answer 4

i don't think that is true either, a "frozen" shoulder is caused by an injury to the shoulder, that without treatment will "freeze" up and is quite painful to repair--if i were her i would get another op-ion, if the break was that bad that they were even thinkin about a plate its worth seeking some one else, just doesn't make sense to me--but I'm just going by personal experience---good luck to your friend