So for a new blog I’m writing on Frozen Shoulders I have been reading the often cited seminal book ‘The Shoulder’ by EA Codman published in 1934 and its simply quite remarkable... a short thread!

First thing to say is Codman clearly was an outstanding surgeon brilliant mind and quite the character... he is the tallest guy, back row!

He was not afraid to speak his mind and was clearly an advocate for patients having his clashes with the establishment! This is a poster he presented at a meeting of the hospital board much to their outrage! One for @Retlouping I feel...

But some of his insights into shoulder pathology, patients, and treatments are simply amazing for someone back in 1934. Here he is describing cuff tendinopathy affecting all types of patients and mostly due to overuse...

And these are some of his drawings of cuff tendon pathology samples... and again remember this is 1934...

In fact his drawing throughout the book are beautiful!

And then we get onto his observations and thoughts about the enigma that is frozen shoulder...

And how he describes the variation in patients symptoms but rarely any quick fixes or miracles. But even more amazing are his insights that perhaps the operations given for this are placebo and the other factors around it are what helps!

Codman clearly was a remarkable clinician who was decades ahead of his time, and I wonder what he would make of where we are currently nearly a century further on!