Objective
To examine the relation of shoulder adhesive capsulitis and local bone loss to affected limb.

Method
Twenty-nine patients with the adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder were studied. For reference, 29 patients, without history of injury or disease in the upper limbs, were randomly selected. Areal bone mineral density (BMD) was measured from the proximal humerus, distal humerus and forearm of upper limbs using a Prodigy^Ⱂ (Lunar, USA). The BMD of the affected side versus the unaffected were compared.

Results
The reference group: no significant difference between the mean BMDs in the right and left upper limb. The adhesive capsulitis group: 1) The mean BMD in the proxi-mal humerus of the affected upper limb was significantly lower than the unaffected limb (0.85 g/cm² vs 0.88 g/cm²; p＜0.05). 2) No significant difference between the mean BMDs in the distal humerus of the affected and unaffected limb (1.10 g/cm² vs 1.10 g/cm²). 3) No significant difference between the mean BMDs in the forearm of the affected and unaffected limb (0.82 g/cm² vs 0.82 g/cm²).

Conclusion
In patients with adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder, the mean BMD of the affected limb, compared with the unaffected side, was significantly lower in the proximal humerus. But distal humerus and forearm showed no significant side-to-side differences. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2002; 26: 327-331)