Diabetes linked to painful frozen shoulder, new research shows
- Untreated high blood sugar can cause frozen shoulder and carpal tunnel syndrome
Untreated high blood sugar can cause painful problems such as frozen shoulder, painful wrist condition, carpal tunnel syndrome and Dupuytren’s disease – also known as ‘claw hand’ – new research has shown.
High blood sugar, which affects people with diabetes, has long been associated with problems in the legs and feet, sometimes causing painful sores that can become infected and even lead to amputations.
The condition has also been linked to muscle and bone problems in the upper body, but a study by scientists at the University of Exeter is the first to provide evidence that these are directly caused by high blood sugar.
The researchers analyzed genetic data from 370,000 participants in the UK Biobank study – a large-scale biomedical database containing anonymised genetic, lifestyle and health information.
They found strong evidence that people more likely to develop uncontrolled high blood sugar, known as hyperglycemia, were also more likely to develop four upper limb problems.
Research suggests that untreated high blood sugar can cause painful problems, such as a frozen shoulder
These are frozen shoulder, where the connective tissue in the joint thickens, leading to stiffness and discomfort; carpal tunnel syndrome, in which pinched nerves in the wrist cause numbness, tingling, and pins and needles; Dupuytren’s contracture, in which the connective tissue in the hand thickens and tightens, causing the fingers to bend inward; and trigger finger, a similar condition that affects only one finger.
The research suggests that over time, hyperglycemia increases levels of a substance in the body called advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which form when proteins, fats and DNA mix with sugars in the bloodstream.
A buildup of AGEs – found in the hands of people with Dupuytren’s disease and in the shoulders of people with frozen shoulder – is thought to be the cause of the damage and thickening of the tendons, joints and connective tissues that cause the problems .
The leader of the study, Dr Harry Green from the University of Exeter Medical School, said: ‘Our research consistently shows that high blood sugar levels cause these upper limb conditions in the long term.
‘We can now classify them as diabetes complications. Doctors treating diabetes patients must be aware of these complications in the clinic so that they can advise on the best treatment options.’
High blood sugar, which affects people with diabetes, has long been linked to problems in the legs and feet, sometimes causing painful sores that can become infected and even lead to amputations.